Pakistan Cricket Board Adjusts President’s Trophy Schedule Amid Political Turmoil

Schedule Changes for President’s Trophy

New Delhi, Oct 12: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made significant adjustments to the ongoing President’s Trophy Grade 1 tournament schedule. This decision comes in response to the political unrest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which led the federal government to declare a state of emergency and impose governor’s rule in the region.

As a result, matches originally set to take place at Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar and Abbottabad Cricket Stadium have been relocated to venues in Sheikhupura and Lahore. However, fixtures in Islamabad and Rawalpindi will continue as scheduled, with the sixth round of the tournament kicking off on Monday.

According to the updated schedule, the match between Ghani and Hyderabad Kingsmen Academy is now slated for Rana Naveed Academy in Sheikhupura starting October 14. Additionally, the game featuring Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) against Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has been moved to the LCCA Ground in Lahore, adjacent to Gaddafi Stadium, also commencing on October 14, as reported by Cricinfo.

These venue changes occur as the tournament approaches a critical juncture, with the current round being the second to last in the league format. The LCCA Ground in Lahore will also host the final-round match between Markhor IT Solutions and Pakistan TV.

In Islamabad, the National Cricket Ground will feature the match between Hyderabad Kingsmen Academy and State Bank of Pakistan in the final round, alongside the Diamond Club ground, which will also be utilized for matches in the city.

The final round has been postponed by one day and will now start on October 19, altering the overall schedule of the round-robin league. Each of the eight teams will compete against one another once, with the top two teams advancing to the final. The PCB has not yet disclosed the venue for the championship match.

This disruption occurs while the PCB is striving to expand the reach of domestic cricket beyond its traditional hubs. Abbottabad has frequently hosted first-class matches, and Peshawar’s Imran Khan Stadium returned to the senior men’s domestic calendar last season after nearly seven years, hosting nine Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches following extensive renovations.

Peshawar was also set to host its inaugural Pakistan Super League match this year after the city’s facilities were evaluated during the National T20 Cup earlier in the season. However, the PSL was ultimately limited to Lahore and Karachi due to federal fuel-conservation measures implemented in response to the West Asia crisis.