National Cricket Academy Pakistan: Inside PCB’s High Performance Centres
The National Cricket Academy is not just one building in Lahore — it is the hub of a three-city high-performance network. In May 2025 the PCB decided to fully activate its academies in Lahore, Karachi and Multan, each with a defined job. Here is how Pakistan’s high-performance system is organised in 2026.
Quick answer: Pakistan’s high-performance network has three PCB academies: Lahore (NCA — national bench strength), Karachi (women’s national team and emerging female talent) and Multan (Under-19s). All run year-round development programmes under Director of High Performance Aaqib Javed.
In this guide
Lahore: The National Hub
The NCA in Lahore focuses on the national bench strength — honing top-performing players’ fitness, technique and mental resilience through continuous camps. It houses the biomechanics lab, AI bowling machine and Athlete Management System. Full profile: National Cricket Academy Lahore.
Karachi: The Women’s Hub
The Karachi academy serves as the training hub for the Pakistan women’s national team and emerging female talent, with a structured roadmap toward ICC women’s events. It answers the long-standing complaint — voiced by players like Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi — that Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city, needed its own PCB academy.
Multan: The U-19 Hub
The Multan academy concentrates on preparing the Under-19 squad for the ICC U-19 World Cup, running the age-group pathway’s most intensive camps. Southern Punjab’s talent finally has a high-performance home.
The Pathway Programme
Across all three centres, the emphasis is the age-group Pathways Program — identifying and grooming future stars early, with U15, U17 and U19 streams feeding upward. The 2026 summer camps at the NCA hosted 49 players (22 red-ball, 27 white-ball) under head coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mike Hesson ahead of international assignments. Overview: Pakistan cricket academy hub.
FAQs
How many cricket academies does the PCB run?
Three high-performance academies: Lahore, Karachi and Multan — plus regional academy programmes run through the associations.
Which PCB academy is for women?
Karachi — it is the dedicated hub for the Pakistan women’s national team and emerging female talent.
What is the PCB Pathways Program?
An age-group initiative (U15/U17/U19) to identify and develop future internationals through continuous, structured coaching.
