KARACHI, Nov 26: Pakistan’s premier first-class cricket tournament, the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, is scheduled to start Jan 3, an official said Monday.

The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy was initiated in 1954 and is the most coveted Trophy in Pakistan’s domestic cricket season.

“Around 18 teams — 14 associations and four provincial squads — will take part in the Trophy,” a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said.

“The 18 teams are divided in two pools of nine teams each. To avoid finals between teams of the same cities both teams from Karachi and Lahore are drawn in the same pool,” he said.

The top two team of the two pools play the final.

“A full draw of the Trophy will be released next month,” he said.

Lahore won the Trophy last season, beating Karachi in the final. With the Pakistan team due to tour Bangladesh in January, next year’s Quaid-i-Azam Trophy is to be played without Pakistan’s leading cricketers.—SADA