Pakistan Cricket Board takes a huge step on Champions Cup

In a major development, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially axed the Champions Cup tournament, with the curtain coming down suddenly on a competition that was launched barely last year as part of a broader domestic cricket restructuring.

Launched in 2024 amid great fanfare, the Champions Cup was supposed to bring a fresh dose of competitiveness to Pakistan's domestic cricket landscape. Five city-based sides took part in the first season, each guided by a high-profile retired international cricketer: Saqlain Mushtaq, Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, and Sarfaraz Ahmed. These coaches were hired through what the PCB described as a "competitive and transparent" procedure and were ostensibly offered five million rupees each month contracts on three-year contracts.

But barely more than a year into its operation, the tournament is now put on the back burner. PCB sources indicate that the decision was made after an in-house review that examined the overall effect of the Champions Cup and mentorship approach. The results indicated that the competition did not succeed in its fundamental aims, including enhancing performance standards and fan appeal. As a consequence, the tournament has been removed from the 2025–26 domestic schedule, and the mentorship program has been abolished as well.

The first to resign from his position as mentor was Shoaib Malik, and this prompted internal debates that ultimately convinced the PCB to end the relationships with the remaining mentors.

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PCB Ditches Champions Cup, Restores Emphasis on Conventional Domestic Cricket

The Champions Cup, which had been called a low-budget imitation of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) by some critics, was regarded by most as a publicity stunt rather than a substantial contribution to home cricket.

While this has been happening, the PCB has also turned its attention towards traditional formats with a new domestic framework based on the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. The season in 2025–26 will start off with the Hanif Mohammad Trophy on August 15, with games being played across Karachi, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan. The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will start on September 22 and include eight teams in an even more performance-focused framework. With the Champions Cup now in the past, the PCB seems to be going back to basics, prioritizing quality and content over style.