The final of the President's Trophy Grade-I 2026-27 has been moved from Karachi to Lahore, just one day before it was due to begin. The five-day final between State Bank of Pakistan and Markhor IT Solutions will now be played at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground from 25 to 29 October 2026, instead of the SBP Sports Complex in Karachi.

A late change with real disruption

The timing of the change is the story. The SBP squad had already travelled from Islamabad to Karachi when the venue change was announced, meaning the team must now travel back to Lahore for a final that starts on schedule. The Pakistan Cricket Board informed both finalists of the change, according to Geo Super. Late venue changes are not unusual in domestic cricket, but they are rarely this disruptive for a team that has already arrived.

How the finalists got here

SBP finished at the top of the eight-team standings with 107 points from seven matches, winning two and drawing five to stay unbeaten. In their last-round match against Kingsmen Academy in Islamabad, they were set 295 on the final day but could only reach 208 for 3 in 57 overs, with opener Hasan Raza unbeaten on a century. Markhor IT Solutions finished second with 96 points, winning two, losing one and drawing four, after beating Pakistan Television by six wickets inside three days in their last-round fixture.

What to watch

The final is a five-day first-class contest, so the early sessions in Lahore will show whether the travel disruption affects SBP, or whether the unbeaten table-toppers settle quickly. Markhor, meanwhile, arrive as the team with the clearer recent result. This brief updates the Daily Byte's earlier report that the final was scheduled in Karachi. Source: Geo Super.