Babar Azam Returns to Domestic First‑Class Cricket with OGDCL

Overview

• The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed Babar Azam joined Oil and Gas Development Company Limited as a guest player and featured in the President’s Trophy Grade‑I match at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium from September 24 to 27.
• The appearance was Babar’s first domestic first‑class match since December 2019, ending a near seven‑year gap from Pakistan’s red‑ball circuit.
• Departments across Islamabad, Abbottabad and Peshawar signed multiple current internationals for the third round, with OGDCL also adding young batter Razaullah and KRL bringing in players including Shaheen Shah Afridi and spinner Usman Tariq.
• Fans and social media flocked to Abbottabad and posted excited footage and photos of Babar in white flannels, making the fixture unusually well attended for a domestic four‑day game.
• The move is being framed as part of a PCB-led effort to give senior players competitive red‑ball time to rebuild form after the England tour defeat, a step that could affect future Test selection and player preparation.