Strikers have emerged as the champions of the CORE Youth Cricket League Pakistan Edition 2026, completing the league stage without a single defeat at Jalal Uddin Cricket Academy (JCA), Karachi. An incredible achievement and a testament to their talent, determination, and team spirit.
Unbeaten through the league stage Strikers claimed the CORE Pakistan League title and book Pakistan’s place at the Grand Finale of CORE Global Champions Trophy in Dubai, to held in December 2026.
Strikers have been crowned champions of the CORE Pakistan Edition 2026 after finishing the league stage unbeaten at Jalal Uddin Cricket Academy (JCA), Karachi.
Presented by CORE Cricket under the aegis of the IFCC, the championship is the third national stage of the 2026 CORE Youth Cricket League (CYCL) journey, following the UAE and UK editions.
In a departure from the standard CYCL format, no quarter-finals, semi-finals or final were played in Pakistan this year. The title was instead awarded to the team at the top of the league points table, making the Strikers’ championship a reward for consistency across every match of the league stage.
With the title, Strikers are confirmed as Pakistan’s finalists at the CORE Global Champions Trophy in Dubai this December, where they will represent the nation against the champions of the CYCL Global Series.
A TITLE DECIDED ON THE LEAGUE TABLE
CYCL national editions normally progress from a league stage into knockout cricket, with semi-finals and a final crowning each country’s champion. For the CORE Pakistan Edition 2026, the organisers confirmed that the knockout rounds would not be held and that the final league standings would decide the national title.
Sanjeeb Mohanty, Co-Founder, CORE Cricket & Global Tournament Director: “Pakistan has always produced cricketers with natural flair, and this championship showed that the next generation is ready to compete on the world stage. Strikers earned their title through consistency in every single match – with no final to fall back on, they simply kept winning. We look forward to seeing them carry Pakistan’s colours to Dubai this December.”
That placed a premium on every fixture. With no final-day reprieve available, each match counted towards the championship – and the Strikers were the only side to meet that standard throughout.
UNBEATEN THROUGH THE LEAGUE STAGE
Four franchise sides – Strikers, Stallions, Chargers and Legends – contested the league stage at JCA, with every match scored live in the IFCC CORE Cricket app.
The Strikers went through the competition without defeat, combining commanding wins with composure under pressure. Their final league fixture, a tense night match against Legends, was settled by a single wicket – a fitting finish that sealed top spot and the national title.
Jalal-ud-din former Pakistan cricket great and coach of a cricket academy remarked “The Strikers are proud to represent Pakistan in the upcoming CORE CYCLE, a unique platform that provides young cricketers with the opportunity to showcase their talent on the international stage. As champions of the CORE Pakistan Edition, the Strikers have earned the honour of competing against talented teams from around the world. The tournament will help build players’ confidence, develop their skills, and provide valuable international exposure at a young age.
Beyond the cricket field, CORE CYCLE creates opportunities to make new friends, build global connections, and learn from different cultures. Such experiences contribute greatly to the growth of young athletes and the development of global cricket. We congratulate the organisers on this outstanding initiative and wish all participating teams the very best. The Strikers look forward to representing Pakistan with pride, passion, and sportsmanship”
Stallions finished as runners-up, with Chargers and Legends completing the field.
FROM KARACHI TO DUBAI — THE GLOBAL JOURNEY CONTINUES
Pakistan’s champions now join the national winners already confirmed for Dubai, taking the tally of qualified teams to three of eight.
- 🇦🇪 UAE: Gladiators
- 🇬🇧 UK: Scotland Chargers
- 🇵🇰 Pakistan: Strikers
NEXT STOP — CORE GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TROPHY, DUBAI
The CORE Global Champions Trophy takes place in Dubai, UAE, from 19 to 23 December 2026, bringing together the champions of eight CYCL national editions in a group stage, semi-finals and a floodlit final.
Each national edition gives young cricketers aged approximately 14–17 a pathway from domestic competition to the international stage, played to the CYCL global match-day standard.
MORE THAN A CRICKET TOURNAMENT
Every match is played to the CYCL match-day standard, with live scoring, live broadcast and commentary, highlights, and full match data and photography.
THE ROAD TO THE GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TROPHY
With the Pakistan title decided, the Strikers turn their attention to Dubai and the chance to compete against the best young cricketers from the CYCL Global Series.
The remaining national editions will confirm the final places in the coming weeks, completing the line-up for the CORE Global Champions Trophy in December.
About CORE Cricket
CORE Cricket, operating under the IFCC, unites grassroots, youth and corporate cricket in one global pathway. Its programmes span academy and coaching certification, high-performance development, well-being, global rankings, and international tours and tournaments.
The CORE Youth Cricket League (CYCL) Global Series runs national editions across eight countries, with each national champion advancing to the CORE Global Champions Trophy in Dubai.
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