Great opportunity for top talent as PCB unveil Future Star Talent Hunt schedule
Aqib Javed, Misbah-ul-Haq and Abdul Razzaq will conduct trials in 15 cities from February 11
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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will hold open trials in 15 cities across the country to shortlist about 350 players for 16 regional academies as part of an effort to widen Pakistan’s talent pool, the board said on Friday.
A selection panel comprising PCB Director High Performance Aqib Javed and former Test cricketers Misbah-ul-Haq and Abdul Razzaq will conduct the trials which begin on February 11. The first trials will be held at the PCB Ground in Sukkur for players from the Larkana region.
The cities hosting the trials are Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Hub District, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Muzaffarabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and Sukkur.
Up to 24 players will be selected for each of the 16 regions and will undergo a four-week specialised training programme at their respective regional headquarters. Top performers from those camps will be invited to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and enrolled in a year-long skills development programme in their regions.
The selection panel will also award on-the-spot cash prizes to the best pacer, spinner and batter at each trial venue.
The PCB said the initiative would strengthen regional talent pools for district, regional and domestic tournaments. Players emerging from the programme will be recommended for departmental and regional teams and could also be considered for HBL Pakistan Super League selection in seasons beyond 2026.
The PCB described the programme as its first nationwide player development initiative aimed at accelerating the transition of emerging players into professional cricket.
Trial dates and venues:
Feb. 11 – PCB Ground, Sukkur (Larkana region)
Feb. 12-13 – Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad (Hyderabad region)
Feb. 15-16 – KCCA Stadium, Karachi (Karachi region)
Mar. 25-26 – Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur (Bahawalpur region)
Mar. 28-29 – Multan Cricket Stadium (Multan region)
Apr. 1-2 – Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad (Faisalabad region)
Apr. 4-5 – LCCA Ground, Lahore (Lahore region)
Apr. 7-8 – Faraz Stadium, Sialkot (Sialkot region)
Apr. 10-11 – Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (Rawalpindi region)
Apr. 13-14 – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad (Islamabad region)
Apr. 16-17 – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium (Abbottabad region)
Apr. 19-20 – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar (Peshawar region)
Apr. 22-23 – Hayatabad Cricket Stadium, Peshawar (FATA region)
Apr. 25-26 – Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium (Azad Jammu and Kashmir region)
Apr. 28-29 – Bugti Cricket Stadium, Quetta (Quetta region)
May 1 – Hub Stadium, Lasbela (Dera Murad Jamali region)
