Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam has returned to domestic first-class cricket after a gap of nearly seven years, making his comeback during the third round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I.
Babar is representing Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) as a guest player in the four-day fixture against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.
The match is being played from September 24 to 27 and marks Babar’s first appearance in first-class cricket since 2019. His return to the domestic format has attracted considerable attention as Pakistan’s Test captain resumes red-ball cricket at the domestic level.
KRL’s squad also includes Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, adding further interest to the fixture and bringing two prominent members of Pakistan’s national team into the same domestic contest.
Babar’s participation gives him an opportunity to spend more time playing longer-format cricket ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming Test commitments.
