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This tournament is a kind of gateway into the domestic structure. From here two teams will play directly in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Every team will get a chance to play five matches each. The five rounds will be completed in just 28 days, and each round will have six matches. Only the team that tops the group will advance.
Group A includes – Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Karachi Whites, Lahore Blues and Quetta. These teams will play in Bahawalpur, Multan and Rahim Yar Khan.
Group B includes – Dera Murad Jamali, FATA, Karachi Blues, Larkana, Multan and Rawalpindi. Karachi will host them.
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PCB has made it clear that all 12 regional teams will make their squads based on the performance of the previous season and the stars of the Regional Inter-District Three-Day Tournament. It was played across the country in June and July. This will give teams the chance to choose players in fresh form, making the tournament more competitive.
Such a selection will create a big opportunity for young players. Players who were shining only in lower-level competitions till now can now prove themselves on the big stage. Many experienced players will also enter it, for whom this will be a golden time to give a new direction to their careers.
The matches will be interesting in the first round itself. In Group A, Faisalabad will face Lahore Blues, Hyderabad will face Karachi Whites, and Quetta will play against Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
On the other hand, in Group B, Rawalpindi will face FATA, Karachi Blues will face Multan, and Dera Murad Jamali will face Larkana. These initial matches will have a big impact on the mental state and confidence of the teams.
Four-day matches test both patience and planning. This format shows the depth of any team. Here, a fast start is not enough, but consistent performance for the entire four days is also necessary. Captains will have to take quick decisions in bowling changes, field placements and batting order.
This will be a tough test for coaches as well. They will have to choose the right combination so that the players do not break under pressure. Fitness will also be of great importance, as playing five matches in 28 days is not an easy task.
The pitches of Bahawalpur, Multan and Rahim Yar Khan will present different challenges for both batsmen and bowlers. The pitch in Multan traditionally favours spinners and is a batting paradise as well, while the early hours in Bahawalpur favour fast bowlers.
Group B matches in Karachi are often high-scoring. The sea breeze and slow pitch favour batsmen, but wickets can be picked if bowlers focus on the right line. Teams' tactics will be affected to a large extent in these conditions.
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will start as soon as Hanif Mohammad Trophy ends. This time Sialkot, Islamabad, Lahore Whites, Abbottabad, Peshawar and Bahawalpur are already present in this prestigious first class tournament. Both the group winners of Hanif Mohammad Trophy will join them.
This means that every team will have a chance till the final round of HMT, and a big upset can be seen in the points table in the last matches. This uncertainty will keep this tournament exciting.
Every season Hanif Mohammad Trophy brings forward some such players, who later become the face of Pakistan cricket. The 2025-26 season will also not be different from this. The players who show strength here will have an increased chance to come in the attention of the national selectors.
Teams like Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Dera Murad Jamali and Larkana are expected to produce young talent, especially as these regions often do not get much representation at the national level.
For local fans, the tournament will be a festival. Domestic cricket in smaller towns has a different atmosphere. People pack the grounds to watch their local heroes. In many places, school and college students also turn up in large numbers, bringing energy to the matches.
This is an opportunity for the PCB to strengthen domestic cricket and make the game more popular in smaller towns. If the broadcasts and live score updates are available on time, the impact will be even more profound.
The Hanif Mohammad Trophy 2025-26 is not just a tournament but the beating heart of Pakistan's domestic cricket. It gives players opportunities, teams a platform to fight for honour, and viewers a chance to hear new stories.
The change in schedule this time has given teams a chance to field their best combination. Both Group A and Group B will be fiercely contested. Some teams have experience, some have youthful energy, but both will have to show consistency to move forward.
If everything goes according to plan, this season could give Pakistan cricket new faces who will become stars for the national team in the years to come. This is the biggest significance of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy - the next chapter of cricket begins from here.
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