LAHORE: The Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) has expressed serious concerns over the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to exclude Karachi from the upcoming edition of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, following a major overhaul of the domestic cricket structure for the 2025-26 season.

In a joint resolution passed by the KCCA — a copy of which is available with Dawn — the association strongly criticised the PCB’s move to reduce the number of participating regional teams in the Quaid Trophy from 16 to eight. The letter urged KCCA president Nadeem Omar to immediately take up the matter with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and request the reinstatement of the previous format.

Under the revised structure, the top six teams from the previous Quaid Trophy season will qualify directly, while two more teams will earn their spots through the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, scheduled to commence on Aug 15 — forming a total pool of eight teams.

While Nadeem was part of the PCB’s recently formed reform committee that endorsed the new structure, his opposition to the reduction reportedly carried little weight. Notably, both Karachi teams finished outside the top ten in the previous season, weakening their case for automatic inclusion.

The KCCA resolution highlighted Karachi’s historical contribution to Pakistan cricket, noting that the city has won the Quaid Trophy a record 21 times and has produced numerous internationally acclaimed cricketers.

Interestingly, the KCCA also welcomed a statement attributed to Mohsin in the media, in which he reportedly assured that Karachi would indeed be part of the upcoming Quaid Trophy.

“No new system is being introduced. InshaAllah, the Karachi team will definitely be part of the 2025-26 Quaid-i-Azam Trophy. Karachi holds a special status,” the chairman was quoted as saying. The KCCA expressed gratitude for the reassurance, calling it a relief for players, officials, and the city’s cricketing fraternity.

Despite the chairman’s reported remarks, it is evident that structural changes have already taken effect. The Quaid Trophy has been trimmed, and the Champions Cup — launched last year with much fanfare — has been shelved for the upcoming season.

Moreover, several high-profile mentors, including Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, Misbah-ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shoaib Malik, were brought in last year under the mentorship program led by Wahab Riaz.

According to latest developments, Waqar, Saqlain, and Shoaib are no longer part of the setup, while Misbah and Sarfaraz are expected to be reassigned roles. Wahab Riaz remains associated with the board.

Despite these sweeping changes, both Mohsin and PCB’s domestic cricket head Khurram Niazi continue to insist that there is “no change” in the domestic structure — a claim that appears increasingly at odds with the unfolding reality.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2025