Pakistan Cricket Board to reinstate Kookaburra balls in first-class cricket from 2026-27

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that it will reintroduce Kookaburra balls in the country’s first-class cricket from the 2026-27 domestic season, replacing the Dukes balls used in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and President’s Trophy over the past two seasons

The PCB believes this change will help narrow the gap between domestic first-class cricket and Test cricket. The decision was also influenced by concerns that first-class matches have increasingly favoured bowlers due to pitches offering grass and moisture.

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The Dukes ball, noted for its harder structure and more pronounced seam, typically provides seam bowlers with lateral movement both in the air and off the surface for longer periods than the Kookaburra. While this benefits fast bowlers, there were concerns that the excessive assistance from the Dukes ball may have hindered Pakistan’s domestic pacers from fully developing their skills, especially ahead of the transition to international cricket.

According to the report, most first-class matches

According to the report, most first-class matches in the upcoming season will take place in northern cities such as Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Abbottabad, where conditions traditionally favour seam bowling. The PCB expects the Kookaburra ball to create a better balance between bat and ball in these conditions.

The Board also aims to provide batsmen with more time at the crease to enhance their technique and to give spinners a more significant role in domestic first-class cricket.

Pakistan had used Kookaburra balls in domestic first-class cricket from 2019 until the end of the 2023-24 season. Dukes balls, which were used during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, were reintroduced for the 2024-25 campaign as part of an effort to revive Pakistan’s fast-bowling culture.

The switch to Dukes balls coincided

The switch to Dukes balls coincided with the appointment of Jason Gillespie as Pakistan’s red-ball head coach. Pakistan hosted Bangladesh in a two-Test series in Rawalpindi on grassy pitches but lost the series 2-0, marking their first Test defeat and series loss against Bangladesh, as

A subsequent Test defeat to England in Multan prompted a strategic shift towards playing on turning pitches. Pakistan began selecting pitches that offered significant assistance to spinners for both Tests and limited-overs matches.

Pakistan’s first-class season is scheduled to commence on Saturday with the opening round of the President’s Trophy.

Source: thenewsmill.com