The Pakistan Cricket Board, in its latest move, has announced the final schedule for this season’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the country’s first-class premier domestic competition commencing from October 26, which would go till December 19. For this season, 18 teams will compete for supremacy across 16 regions, marking a considerable increase compared to previous years.
Lahore and Karachi will have two representative teams. After last year’s event featuring just eight teams, the Karachi Whites are likely to be the defending champions. Quaid-e-Azam, having only six participating teams in their tournament four years ago, shows that domestic cricket has improved and taken a turn for the better regarding interest and talent.
The director of domestic operations, Abdullah Niazi, spoke about the importance of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. “Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is the pinnacle of domestic cricket in Pakistan. It showcases immense talent across the country, and it prepares players for challenges at the international level.” He emphasized that this was a commitment of the board to a platform, which is second to none, to make sure players excel.
Until recently, it was not known whether the fate of the tournament would be there or not. Till a couple of days ago, the Pakistan Cricket Board had not announced any confirmation of the start date. ESPNcricinfo quoted the tentative date as October 20, though the domestic cricket department was waiting for confirmation from the chairman. Fortunately, the board sorted these issues out in time and the tournament is on schedule.
This way, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will contrast as a perfect primer for Pakistan’s upcoming Test series. With the final slated for December 19, the PCB will be in a good position to assess players before the first Test against South Africa on December 26.
Pakistan’s Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel pressed on the need to prepare well for the series. And said, “If you want to prepare for SENA [South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia]. You can do it during practice and first-class cricket.” He believes that playing first-class cricket before the South Africa series helps them get used to similar pitches. Besides, he spoke about preparing pitches according to the conditions and opposition.
In short, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy holds immense significance when it comes to the selection or rejection of players based on their merits. The season draws near, and with that, excitement builds up among fans. And players alike regarding who is going to emerge on top. It promises to be a display of the rich talent that exists within Pakistan’s cricketing landscape.
ANI