LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has instructed three key players — Azhar Ali, Babar Azam and Mohammad Abbas — to return from England, where they are currently playing county cricket, and make themselves available for the revamped Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, which starts from Sept 12

Dawn learnt that every player who wants to be eligible for Pakistan selection has to appear in the domestic event so he is considered for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in October. That’s why Azhar, Babar and Abbas have been instructed to cut short their stints with their respective counties.

The Quaid-i-Azam Trophy — in which six provincial teams will be featuring —will be held on a double-league basis in two parts.

The details about the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy and six newly-formed provincial cricket associations/bodies are expected to be announced shortly by the PCB. In the first phase, the PCB is forming the six provincial cricket associations on interim basis for one year and later these bodies will come through the election process. The new system will change the existing 16-region format.

During the break in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, the PCB plans to start the National T20 Cup to provide opportunities to the six Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises to pick players for the fifth edition through a draft ceremony in November.

The Quaid-i-Azam Trophy will restart to enable the national selectors to pick the national side for the Test series against Bangladesh.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2019