LAHORE: Wapda, the defending champion of the last President’s Trophy, and Sahir Associates were ousted from the domestic circuit by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the 2026-27 season on Tuesday, apparently due to the inability of the organisations to pay an enhanced entry fee.

“The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Kingsmen Academy are set to replace Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and Sahir Associates in the President’s Trophy and Cup Grade-I for the 2026-27 domestic season,” the PCB announced.

It may be mentioned here that Wapda were not ready to pay an enhanced entry fee of Rs15 million the PCB had set this year, increasing it from Rs5 million.

Wapda, sources close to the situation said, had requested the PCB for some concession in the entry fee, citing the department was taking care of more than 30 other sports and such a significant increase in the entry fee by the PCB was not affordable for Wapda under the current circumstances.

However, the PCB in its stance said,” Sahir Associates and Wapda were not able to comply with the PCB’s regulations and have been replaced.

“Moreover, Departments are set to conduct mandatory fitness tests for their players in line with domestic cricket’s new fitness policy issued by the PCB for the 2026-27 season. According to the circulated policy, a criterion has been set to include at least one U-21 player in the playing XI of all departments in white and red-ball tournaments.

“In order to enhance the quality of cricket and maintain high standards of domestic cricket, a number of regulations have been shared with first-class departmental teams. These regulations are in order to run the President’s Trophy and Cup Grade-I events in a more professional manner after reviewing the last iteration of both events,” the PCB said in its statement.

Under the new domestic policy for departments, the PCB had also bound them to pay match fee and daily allowances to their players. The departments had objected this policy during their meeting held with the PCB one month ago.

The departments, in the said meeting, had asked the PCB to reconsider the match fee payment policy as the departments had also been giving salaries to their cricketers on monthly basis.

However despite substantial increase in their expenses, only Wapda and Sahir Associates were ousted while the remaining six teams will retain their spot in the President’s Trophy.

Meanwhile, the PCB also stated: “The departments will have to meet the regulations including that of the audit of all participating teams by the PCB during and after tournaments to ensure players are paid their due annual contractual fees, match fees, daily allowances through accounts in a transparent manner along with the provision of sound accommodation and quality food while maintaining the high standards required to take part in first-class and List-A cricket.”

It further said, “Departmental cricket is the backbone of Pakistan’s domestic cricket and it is expected that every single department abides by the high standards set for player contracts and salaries, player accommodation, pre-season fitness tests and welfare of players, which is of paramount importance to the PCB.

“The complete pool of eight Grade-I teams for the 2026-27 season includes Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Kingsmen Academy, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan Television (PTV), Ghani Glass, MIT Solutions, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL),” the PCB statement concluded.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2026