Pentangular Trophy

The Pentangular Trophy was a first-class cricket competition that was held intermittently in Pakistan between 1973–74 and 2011–12.

History

The Pentangular Trophy was first contested in 1973–74. From 1977 to 1978 through to 1979–80 it was known as the BCCP Invitation Tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/88937-one-million-rupees-for-the-champions|title=One million rupees for the champions|website=www.thenews.com.pk}} Between 1980–81 and 1986–87, with the exception of 1983–84 when it was not held, it was called the PACO Cup under the sponsorship of the Pakistan Automobile Corporation. After 1983–84, it was only held three times, in 1990–91, 1994–95 and 1995–96, until it was revived in 2005–06.{{cite web |last1=Bhatti |first1=Gul Hameed |author1-link=Gul Hameed Bhatti |title=Pentangular returns after 10-year absence |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pentangular-returns-after-10-year-absence-242704 |website=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=21 February 2021 |date=30 March 2006}}{{cite web |last1=Balachandran |first1=Kanishkaa |title=A brief history... Kanishkaa Balachandran with a brief history of domestic cricket in Pakistan |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-brief-history-261448 |website=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=19 February 2021 |date=5 October 2006}} In 2007–08 it became a five-team regional tournament and was then held every season until 2011–12, after which it again went into abeyance.

Format

As the name suggests, the Pentangular Trophy was usually contested between five teams, although there were sometimes as many as ten, who played each other on a round-robin basis, with the winner being the determined by the leader in the points table or by means of a final. The participants were originally selected by the Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan (BCCP) before qualification criteria were introduced. Commonly this was the top teams in the two leading first-class competitions played earlier in the season, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the Patron's Trophy.

Winners

class="wikitable"
SeasonTeam
colspan=2|Pentangular Trophy
1973–74Pakistan International Airlines
1974–75National Bank of Pakistan
1975–76Pakistan International Airlines
colspan=2|BCCP Invitation Tournament
1977–78Habib Bank
1978–79Habib Bank + Pakistan International Airlines
1979–80Pakistan International Airlines
colspan=2|Pakistan Automobile Corporation (PACO) Cup
1980–81Pakistan International Airlines
1981–82Habib Bank
1982–83Habib Bank
colspan=2 align=center|Tournament not held in 1983–84
1984–85United Bank Limited
1985–86Pakistan Automobiles Corporation
1986–87Pakistan International Airlines
colspan=2|Pentangular Trophy
colspan=2 align=center|Tournament not held between 1986–87 and 1990–91
1990–91United Bank Limited
colspan=2 align=center|Tournament not held between 1990–91 and 1994–95
1994–95National Bank of Pakistan
1995–96United Bank Limited
colspan=2 align=center|Tournament not held between 1995–96 and 2005–06
colspan=2|Pentangular Cup
2005–06National Bank of Pakistan
2006–07Habib Bank
2007–08Sindh
colspan=2|RBS Pentangular Cup
2008–09North-West Frontier Province
2009–10Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited
colspan=2|Pentangular Cup
2010–11Sindh
2011–12Punjab

References