Four‑Team Champions Cup Begins in Multan as Pakistan Prepares for 2027 World Cup Season.

The Al Batal Presents University of Lahore National Champions Cup 2026‑27 went live on Tuesday at Multan Cricket Stadium. The event runs from 11 to 18 August and marks the start of Pakistan’s domestic cricket season. Four teams – Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Gold, Pakistan Whites and Pakistan Blues – play seven 50‑over matches. The best two sides will move on to a final held on 18 August. The squads are led by Shadab Khan (Greens), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Gold), Saim Ayub (Whites) and Sahibzada Farhan (Blues). They are supported by experienced coaching staffs. Pakistan’s white‑ball head coach, Mike Hesson, is in the city to observe the competition and discuss the national team’s preparation for the 2027 World Cup. Teams arrived in Multan on 8 August and have been training at the Inzamam‑ul‑Haq High‑Performance Centre and the stadium through day‑and‑night sessions. The schedule for each match starts at 3 p.m. after a toss at 2:30 p.m. The tournament has a total prize pool of Rs 8.15 million. Winners receive Rs 5 million and the runner‑up gets Rs 2.5 million. Individual awards for best batsman, best bowler, best wicket‑keeper and player of the tournament each earn Rs 100 000. Notable players in the gaps include Fakhar Zaman, Faheem Ashraf, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Hasnain for Greens; Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Nawaz, Haider Ali and Faisal Akram for Gold; Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Shahnawaz Dahani for Whites; and Hasan Ali, Tayyab Tahir, Arafat Minhas, Rohail Nazir and Sufyan Muqeem for Blues. The coaching line‑ups are headed by former Test cricketers: Ijaz Ahmed Junior with Greens; Misbah‑ul‑Haq with Gold; Iqbal Imam with Whites; and Aizaz Cheema with Blues. Each coach is assisted by a team of specialised assistants. The commentary team features Salman Butt, Aiman Anwar, Tariq Saeed, Ali Younis and Raja Asad. Their coverage gives listeners insight into games as they unfold. The competition offers set‑up situations where selectors can evaluate players’ roles and performances before the national squad assembles for the World Cup. It is also an arena where fringe players may secure a place in the future ODI team. Matches follow this schedule: Greens vs Whites on Tuesday, Blues vs Gold on Wednesday, Blues vs Whites on Thursday, Gold vs Greens on Friday, Blues vs Greens on Saturday, Gold vs Whites on Sunday, and the final on Monday. Each team plays two or three games before the final. Pakistan’s preparation for the World Cup benefits from the depth created in this cup, giving selectors a strong base to draw from and helping maintain consistency among its leading cricketers.