PCB announces changes to the domestic structure

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially announced the overhaul of the domestic structure in a press met on Saturday. The old regional and departmental structure has been shelved and an association based system has been introduced.

In the past two decades, Pakistan’s domestic structure has gone through constant tweaks. However, this one is a complete overhaul, with a reduction of teams, part decentralization and putting the onus on the association to do the leg work.

All formats at the domestic level will be played by six teams under the following associations:

• Sindh Cricket Association: Karachi, Hyderabad, and Larkana
• Balochistan Cricket Association: Dera Murad Jamali and Quetta
• Southern Punjab Cricket Association: Multan and Bahawalpur
• Central Punjab Cricket Association: Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Lahore
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cricket Association: Peshawar, FATA, and Abbottabad
• Northern Cricket Association: Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Azad Jammu Kashmir

The full domestic season would have 31 matches as opposed to the 69 played last year. The team will also play 16 T20s and 31 one-dayers. Moreover, the associations will look after the second XIs, U-19s, U-16s, U-13, and intra-city cricket.

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Cricket Associations will run as independent bodies, albeit under PCB monitoring. An eight-member committee will run the association, which would include three PCB nominees, three association representatives and two members of the team sponsors. A CFO & CEO will run the management side, while a separate selection committee will be put in place.

A three-tier set up is being introduced. Ninety City Cricket Associations will organize club and school cricket. This would help in developing City Association teams. At the 2^nd stage, City Association teams will compete have intra-city events. Finally, best performers will be picked for their Cricket Association team.

There will be some changes to playing conditions as well. Most importantly perhaps, Kookaburra balls will be used in domestic season this year. Moreover, visiting teams will be given the option to bowl 1^st in order to avoid doctoring of pitches.

As for player salaries, a player could potentially earn up to PKR 2.5 million per year. 192 cricketers will be given contrasts and this would not include who already have National Contracts.

The schedule

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class, four-day matches, final will be a five-day fixture): September 14 to October 8; October 28 to December 13

National U-19 tournament (three-day and one-day tournament): October 1 to November 12

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (2nd XI, three-day matches, final will be a four-day fixture): September 14 to October 10; October 28 to November 29

National T20 Cup (both first and second XIs will play at the same time): October 13 to 24; first XIs will play in Faisalabad, second XIs will play in Karachi

Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament (both first and second XIs will play simultaneously): March 29 to April 24, 2020