PCB Inter-District Cricket from today

A representational image of cricket ball and bat. — AFP/File

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is gearing up to launch the Regional Inter-District U-19 One-Day tournament for the 2025–26 season, a flagship event designed to nurture young cricketing talent nationwide.

The tournament kicks off on Friday, 25 April, with participation from 110 district/zonal teams, featuring over 1,600 U-19 players. This ambitious initiative is part of PCB’s pathways development programme, aimed at discovering and grooming emerging talent from across the country. A total of 264 50-over red-ball matches will be played during the tournament, making it one of the most extensive domestic cricket events in Pakistan.

The tournament’s opening matches will take place in Abbottabad, Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), Bahawalpur, Dera Murad Jamali, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, and Sialkot. In six remaining regions—Quetta, FATA, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Larkana, and Hyderabad—the event will commence later on 26 April, 29 April, 2 May, 5 May, 10 May, and 15 May, respectively.

Top-performing players in the Regional Inter-District U19 tournament will earn a chance to represent their regional teams in PCB’s U19 regional development academies and the Inter-Regional U19 tournament scheduled later this year. Additionally, PCB plans to launch the inaugural U19 Champions event following the conclusion of regional activities, where the most promising U19 talent will compete at an elite level.

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