Lahore: The President’s Trophy Grade-II 2024-25 is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, 15 April, spanning eight cities, including Abbottabad, Haripur, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura, and Swabi. The tournament will feature 85 matches, primarily consisting of three-day games, with the final extending to four days from 22-25 May.

Over 400 players from across the nation are set to participate in this red-ball cricket competition. The victorious team will receive a prize of PKR 5 million, while the runner-up will receive PKR 2.5 million from a total prize pool of PKR 7.75 million. The winning team will also earn a spot in the President’s Trophy Grade-I for the next domestic season, replacing Eshaal Associates.

The tournament will see participation from 27 departmental teams, divided into four groups. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, scheduled from 14-16 May, followed by the semi-finals from 18-20 May. Venues for the knockout stages will be announced later.

The groups and their respective teams are as follows:

Group A, hosted in Karachi, features Kingsmen, Navy, Pak Saudi International, Pakistan Customs, Port Qasim, and Wing 999 Sports.

Group B, taking place in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, includes Army, Capital Development Authority (CDA), Ghani Institute, JDW Sugar Mills, JJ’s Consultancy Group, ONETEN Communication, and PHA Rawalpindi.

Group C, organized in Abbottabad, Swabi, and Haripur, comprises Haider Cricket Club, Mit Solutions, PAF, Sardar Group, Service Industries, SNSJ Marketing, and Vital Tea.

Group D, located in Sheikhupura and Lahore, features Ahmed Glass, Azlaan Traders, Income Tax, Kingsmen Academy, Railways, Sahir Associates, and Sabir’s Poultry.

The tournament promises a platform for players to display their skills and compete for top honors in Pakistan’s domestic cricket scene.