LAHORE, 10 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan fast bowler and ODI captain Shaheen Afridi is set to return to first-class cricket by representing Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in the President’s Trophy Grade-I. According to sources, Afridi will play for KRL, the department he represented early in his domestic career. The 26-year-old has not featured in first-class cricket since the 2017 season of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and has since represented Pakistan in 34 Tests after making his international debut in 2018. Afridi was recently omitted from Pakistan’s squads for the away series against the West Indies and England and is expected to use the domestic competition as an opportunity to regain his rhythm in red-ball cricket. KRL will begin its President’s Trophy campaign against Ghani Glass in Peshawar, with the match scheduled to be played from September 12 to 15. Afridi recently captained Pakistan Gold to victory in the inaugural National Champions Cup, defeating Shadab Khan’s Pakistan Greens in the final. Sources said Afridi is also expected to represent KRL in the President’s Cup, Pakistan’s departmental List-A competition. The President’s Cup was initially scheduled for August but was postponed until December after the national selection committee and white-ball team management requested additional rest for players following the National Champions Cup. The tournament features the same eight departments competing in the President’s Trophy. The PCB scrapped the Pakistan Cup after the 2023-24 season, leaving the President’s Cup as the standalone departmental List-A competition in Pakistan’s men’s domestic calendar over the past two seasons.