In line with its ongoing efforts to unearth talented cricketers by providing equal and fair opportunities so that these players can be brought into the national framework and developed into future stars, the Pakistan Cricket Board today announced the holding of open trials for the U13, U16, and U19 from 4-6 November in all the 91 City Cricket Associations.
Players who featured in the 2022-23 PCB-organized age-group events are exempted from the open trials. However, they are required to confirm their availability for next season’s competitions to their respective coaches.
The trials will be organized in two phases from which the coaches and the selectors will finalize sides for the 2023-24 season’s City Cricket Association (96 teams), Divisional (24 teams), and Cricket Associations (12 teams) tournaments.
The age eligibility criteria for the three age groups are as follows:
· U19: Born on or after 31 August 2004 and before 31 August 2008
· U16: Born on or after 1st September 2007 and before 1st September 2011
· U13: Born on or after 1st September 2010 and before 1st September 2014
The PCB-appointed coaches will shortlist the players in the first phase after which the junior selection committee and additional scouts will finalize the final sides. The players selected for the final sides after the second phase in all three age groups will undergo an age verification process*, which will ensure that every player is provided a level playing field, by renowned radiologists.
The players are advised to appear in whites and bring the original and photocopies of their B-forms and CNICs. The shortlisted players will be required to register themselves at the booths available at every venue. The trials will run from 10:00 to 17:00.
For the first time, the U16 players will also compete at the Divisional level, and, as such, the selected players will be divided into four divisional teams and the top performers from them will make it to two CA sides. The U19 competitions will be held at all three levels, while the U13 players will compete in the CA tournaments.
The list of the junior selection committee and additional scouts are as follows: Muhammad Wasim (chairperson), Aamir Nazir, Abdur Rehman, Ahmer Saeed, Faisal Iqbal, Javed Hayat, Muhammad Ashraf, Muhammad Salman, Sanaullah Baloch, Shoaib Khan, Tahir Mehmood, Taimoor Azam, and Wajahat Ullah Wasti.