The Pakistan Cricket Board PCB has unveiled a bold and comprehensive transformation to its domestic setup announcing a pioneering three tier Departmental Cricket structure set to redefine competition for the 2025 26 season Running from August 2025 through May 2026 this initiative introduces a new third tier Grade III to complement the existing Grade I and Grade II levels creating a rigorous promotion and relegation system that promises to elevate domestic cricket standards across the nation .
Over 40 Departmental Teams Across Three Competitive Grades
- More than 40 departmental teams from all corners of Pakistan will take part divided as follows .
- Grade I The top echelons featuring premier departments competing in a List A Presidents Cup and a first class Presidents Trophy tournament .
- Grade II Previously the lowest tier now expanded to a 14 team competition with three day matches .
- Grade III The newly established tier involving teams contesting in two day matches in March April 2026 based on their standings from the previous season .
- This three tier structure replaces the former two division system reflecting PCBs strategic focus on meritocracy heightened competitiveness and broader talent cultivation .
Clear Promotion Relegation Mechanism
- Under the revamped model movement between tiers will be purely merit based
- The top two teams from Grade III in 2025 26 will be promoted to Grade II for 2026 27
- Conversely the bottom two teams of Grade II will face relegation to Grade III
- In Grade I the lowest finishing teams in both the first class and List A tournaments will drop to Grade II making way for successful Grade II departments
- This ensures a dynamic upward mobility cricket ladder where performance not legacy determines progression
Detailed Structure for Each Grade
Grade I begins with the Presidents Cup 50 over List A event in November December 2025 featuring eight departmental giants such as Ghani Glass Khan Research Labs SNGPL WAPDA PTV KRL State Bank and Oil and Gas Development Company Limited This tournament comprises 31 matches Subsequently the same eight teams will battle in the 29 match first class Presidents Trophy concluding in January 2026 .
In Grade II 12 teams carried over from the previous season are joined by two relegated from Grade I HEC and Eshaal Associates to form a 14 team three day Presidents Trophy running March May 2026 The winner will earn promotion directly into Grade Is first class and List A competitions next season For 2026 27 PCB also plans to introduce a 50 over competition for Grade II teams .
Grade III debuts in March April 2026 with teams selected based on standings from the 2024 25 Presidents Trophy Grade II The competition adopts a two day format with its top two teams advancing to Grade II
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Emphasis on Domestic Depth and Womens Cricket
PCB Director of Domestic Cricket Operations Abdullah Khurram Niazi highlighted that departmental cricket is the bedrock of Pakistans domestic setup with over 400 players poised to showcase their skills under this new tiered system He emphasized the boards intent to incentivize competitiveness stating We have incentivised the departmental cricket by dividing it into three tiers which will surely lead to enhancing the quality of our domestic cricket
The board is also encouraging departments to field womens teams aiming to deepen the womens domestic structure with further details expected in due course .
Strategic Outcomes and Long Term Vision
This restructuring aligns with PCBs broader agenda of refining domestic competitions as seen with changes to the Quaid e Azam Trophy and the introduction of merit based qualification systems By introducing a robust promotion relegation culture and engaging multiple match formats PCB aims to
- Broaden the elite cricket pipeline offering exposure across formats and tiers
- Ensure sustained excellence with departments needing consistent performance to maintain status
- Uncover and nurture talent from across the cricketing ladder
Conclusion
The launch of the three tier Departmental Cricket structure for 2025 26 marks a strategic milestone in Pakistan cricket By integrating over 40 departments into an interlinked performance centric ecosystem PCB has embraced transparency competitiveness and inclusivity key ingredients for elevating the domestic game Fans coaches and emerging players now have clear merit based pathways promising to enrich the talent pool and strengthen Pakistans cricketing future .