Pakistan players start arriving in Multan for National Champions Cup 2026
Fakhar Zaman, Sufiyan Muqeem among players reaching Multan for tournament
MULTAN: Several Pakistan players have started arriving in Multan ahead of the National Champions Cup 2026, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) flagship domestic List-A tournament, which will take place from August 11 to 18.
The PCB shared photographs of several players arriving in the host city, including opening batter Fakhar Zaman and Salman Mirza, who will represent Pakistan Greens, while all-rounder Arafat Minhas and spinner Sufiyan Muqeem will feature for Pakistan Blues.
“Player arrivals in Multan. The National Champions Cup will take place from 11 to 18 August at the Multan Cricket Stadium,” the PCB said in a social media post.
The seven-match 50-over tournament will mark the start of Pakistan’s 2026-27 domestic cricket season, with all matches scheduled as day-night fixtures at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Each game will begin at 3pm local time.
Four teams — Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Whites, Pakistan Blues and Pakistan Gold — will compete in a single round-robin format. The top two teams at the end of the league stage will advance to the final, which is scheduled for August 18.
The national selection committee has named fixed playing XIs for each team, along with a 13-player reserve pool.
Teams will be required to field their announced XIs throughout the tournament, with reserve players permitted to replace only injured or concussed players. The reserves will remain with their respective squads during training sessions and on match days.
The tournament will feature four high-profile captains, with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan appointed to lead their respective teams.
According to the PCB, the 44-player squads and reserve pool have been selected as part of Pakistan’s preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
The competition is expected to provide the national selectors with an opportunity to assess players and identify talent ahead of the global tournament, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
National Champions Cup 2026 schedule
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