PCB Announces Squads and Schedule for National Champions Cup
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the squads and fixtures for the National Champions Cup, a 50-over List A competition that will launch Pakistan’s 2026-27 domestic season. The tournament will be staged at Multan Cricket Stadium from 11 to 18 August.
All seven matches, including the final, will be played under lights, with each fixture scheduled to start at 3:00pm local time.
Four teams — Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Whites, Pakistan Blues and Pakistan Gold — will compete in a single round-robin league. The two highest-ranked sides after the league phase will meet in the final on 18 August.
In a unique approach, the national selection committee has finalized the playing XIs for each team before the tournament. A separate 13-player reserve pool has also been named, with reserve players only eligible to replace injured or concussed cricketers. They will remain with the squads throughout the competition for training and match-day duties.
The four teams will be captained by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan.
According to the PCB, the tournament has been designed as an important step in Pakistan’s preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, with a total of 44 players selected across the playing XIs and reserve pool for evaluation.
Pakistan Greens
Playing XI: Shadab Khan (captain), Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Farhan Yousuf, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper) and Sameer Minhas.
Support staff: Head coach Ijaz Ahmed Jnr, bowling coach Rehan Riaz, batting coach Khurram Shahzad and fielding coach Fahad Iqbal.
Pakistan Whites
Playing XI: Saim Ayub (captain), Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Mohsin Riaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Saad Masood, Shahzaib Khan and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper).
Support staff: Head coach Iqbal Imam, bowling coach Samiullah Niazi, batting coach Faisal Athar and fielding coach Saqib Faqir.
Pakistan Blues
Playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Jahandad Khan, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Shamyl Hussain, Sufyan Moqim and Taimur Khan.
Support staff: Head coach Aizaz Cheema, bowling coach Fahad Masood, batting coach Naveed Latif and fielding coach Hussain Khosa.
Pakistan Gold
Playing XI: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abdul Samad, Abdul Subhan, Faisal Akram, Haider Ali, Kamran Ghulam, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Nawaz, Muhammad Akhlaq (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Imran and Saad Khan.
Support staff: Head coach Misbah-ul-Haq, bowling coach Waqas Ahmed, batting coach Riffatullah Mohmand and fielding coach Atiq-ur-Rehman.
Reserve Pool
Batters: Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Faiq and Muhammad Irfan Khan.
All-rounders: Mubasir Khan and Danish Aziz.
Pacers: Arshad Iqbal, Muhammad Salman, Razaullah, Saqib Khan, Mohammad Amir Khan and Shahnawaz Dahani.
Wicketkeeper: Haseebullah.
Tournament Fixtures (All matches at Multan Cricket Stadium, 3:00pm local time)
11 August: Pakistan Greens vs Pakistan Whites
12 August: Pakistan Blues vs Pakistan Gold
13 August: Pakistan Blues vs Pakistan Whites
14 August: Pakistan Gold vs Pakistan Greens
15 August: Pakistan Blues vs Pakistan Greens
16 August: Pakistan Gold vs Pakistan Whites
18 August: Final
