Lahore, July 14, 2026: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to organise a four-team one-day tournament in Multan next month as part of its preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
According to sources, the tournament is likely to be held from August 11 to 18 and will feature the country’s leading white-ball cricketers as the PCB seeks to build a strong pool of one-day players ahead of the global event.
The proposed schedule has also been designed to accommodate players participating in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2026, which runs from August 7 to September 20. If the tournament concludes as scheduled on August 18, the PCB is expected to issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to eligible players, allowing them to join their respective CPL franchises for the remainder of the competition.
Several Pakistani cricketers are expected to feature in this year’s CPL, including Maaz Sadaqat, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Sufiyan Muqeem, Saad Masood, Usman Khan and Salman Irshad.
Sources said participation in the four-team tournament will be mandatory for Pakistan’s white-ball players, as selectors and team management aim to evaluate the country’s talent pool and identify the best combinations for next year’s ODI World Cup.
The tournament is expected to play a key role in shaping Pakistan’s long-term white-ball strategy by providing players with competitive match practice and allowing the management to assess performances under match conditions.
Speaking recently on the PCB’s Straight Drive podcast alongside former captain Salman Butt, Director of High Performance Aaqib Javed stressed the importance of beginning preparations for the 2027 World Cup without delay.
“We have around 18 months until the 2027 World Cup, so this is the right time to begin our preparations,” Javed said.
He revealed that the tournament had been jointly planned by the national selectors and coaching staff, who will divide Pakistan’s leading white-ball players into four balanced teams.
“The selectors and coaches sat together and designed this four-team tournament. Four balanced sides will be selected, and all white-ball players will take part,” he said.
Javed added that the selectors and coaching staff will also determine each team’s playing XI based on the specific roles assigned to individual players, enabling them to evaluate combinations more effectively.
“The playing XIs will be selected according to each player’s role. This tournament will help us determine which group of players should form the core of our plans going forward,” he said.
The PCB believes the tournament will provide an ideal platform to identify the players and combinations needed to build a competitive ODI squad for the 2027 World Cup.
