LAHORE - Pakistan’s leading white-ball cricketers will go head-to-head as the Al Batal Presents University of Lahore National Champions Cup 2026-27 gets underway in Multan on Tuesday, with four star-studded teams beginning an important talent hunt ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Gold, Pakistan Whites and Pakistan Blues will contest a seven-match 50-over tournament at the Multan Cricket Stadium from August 11 to 18, with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan leading the four sides respectively.
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The competition is being positioned as more than the opening event of Pakistan’s 2026-27 domestic season. With the 2027 World Cup approaching, the tournament will provide Pakistan’s selectors and white-ball coaching staff with an important opportunity to assess the country’s depth, identify backups for key positions and examine players in different match situations.
The opening match on Tuesday will see Pakistan Greens take on Pakistan Whites, with the match scheduled to begin at 3pm and the toss at 2.30pm. All seven matches will be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium.The PCB has confirmed free entry for spectators in the Fazal Mahmood and Imran Khan enclosures, encouraging local cricket fans to watch some of Pakistan’s best established and emerging players in action.
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The tournament also carries a substantial financial incentive, with a total prize pool of Rs8.15 million. The champions will receive Rs5 million, while the runners-up will earn Rs2.5 million. The player of the tournament, best batter, best bowler and best wicketkeeper will each receive Rs100,000.The four teams will feature fixed playing XIs and three reserve players each, creating a structured environment in which players can be assessed in clearly defined roles.
Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson is also closely involved in the exercise. He met the coaching staff of all four teams on Sunday and outlined Pakistan’s preparation plan for the 2027 World Cup. Hesson will observe the matches during the tournament as the national management continues its search for the strongest possible combination for the global event. The teams and officials arrived in Multan on August 8 and have already completed day-and-night training sessions at the Inzamam-ul-Haq High Performance Centre and Multan Cricket Stadium.The coaching line-up also brings considerable experience. Former Test cricketer Ijaz Ahmed Jr is in charge of Pakistan Greens, while former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq will coach Pakistan Gold. Iqbal Imam is coaching Pakistan Whites, while former Pakistan pacer Aizaz Cheema will guide Pakistan Blues.
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Shaheen Shah Afridi believes the tournament will help Pakistan develop a wider pool of reliable options before the World Cup.“Most of the players are coming on the back of a two-month white-ball camp at the National Cricket Academy, so I feel they are good preparation-wise and in terms of fitness,” Shaheen said. “The purpose of arranging this tournament is to unearth multiple options for various roles before the ODI World Cup.”He added that the objective was to identify dependable backups well before the mega event and give players opportunities to perform specific roles under different match conditions.
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Saim Ayub, who will captain Pakistan Whites, said he was excited about the responsibility and stressed the importance of adapting to the changing demands of the 50-over format.“You need to be patient in the 50-overs format,sometimes you have to shift gears quickly as momentum shifts,” Saim said. Sahibzada Farhan, captain of Pakistan Blues, said his side contained several exciting young players and would benefit from the presence of experienced campaigners such as himself and Hasan Ali.Faheem Ashraf, who represented Pakistan Greens at the pre-tournament media event in place of Shadab Khan, described the competition as an opportunity for the country’s leading players to develop stronger communication and team combinations.
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The tournament will be broadcast live on PTV Sports, while fans in Pakistan can also follow the action through Tapmad and Tamasha. The PCB YouTube channel will provide coverage outside Pakistan.Former Test cricketer Salman Butt, former Pakistan women’s player Aiman Anwar and commentators Tariq Saeed, Ali Younis and Raja Asad will form part of the commentary team.
With four captains, a blend of established internationals and emerging talent, and the 2027 World Cup firmly in the background, the National Champions Cup promises to be an important early examination of Pakistan’s white-ball strength and depth.For the players, the message is clear: the road to the 2027 World Cup has begun, and strong performances in Multan could prove decisive in earning a place in Pakistan’s future ODI plans.
Aig 11 Pakistan Greens v Pakistan Whites Aug 12 Pakistan Blues v Pakistan Gold Aug 13 Pakistan Blues v Pakistan Whites Aug 14 Pakistan Gold v Pakistan Greens Aug 15 Pakistan Blues v Pakistan Greens Aug 16 Pakistan Gold v Pakistan Whites Aug 18 Final (Top two teams)
Azhar Khan is an accomplished senior sports journalist with extensive experience in the field. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @azharmasood786
Azhar Khan is an accomplished senior sports journalist with extensive experience in the field. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @azharmasood786