PCB Faces Criticism Over Domestic Schedule Changes

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is under scrutiny for postponing the start of the Inter-district Senior Cricket Championship indefinitely due to the ongoing rainy season. This decision was communicated to district cricket associations through an official letter.

Sources indicate that the championship’s commencement is now tentatively rescheduled for September 8, a week later than initially planned. In a separate move, the PCB has advanced the start of the Inter-district U-19 Championship from October 1 to September 10.

Last week, the PCB also delayed the Champions One-day Cup, a 50-over tournament under the new “Champions” system, from September 1 to September 12. At that time, the mentors for each team had not been announced. Although the mentors were named on Monday, the coaching staff and team rosters remain incomplete.

Each Champions team is expected to assemble a 30-player squad for the four-day, one-day, and Twenty20 formats. However, the selection process lacks transparency. A group of players has been summoned for fitness tests across various regions on Friday, but the criteria for their selection and the identities of the selectors have not been disclosed. In Lahore, these tests will take place at the Punjab Stadium from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM.

The PCB’s lack of transparency regarding the revamped domestic structure, which includes plans for lucrative central contracts and match fees, has raised questions. The board has also set substantial compensation packages for the newly appointed mentors, including former players Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Sarfraz Ahmed.

Currently, only Shoaib Malik has been assigned to mentor the Stallions, one of the Champions teams. The assignments for the other teams—Panthers, Wolves, Dolphins, and Lions—remain undecided.

Compounding these issues, the PCB has struggled to attract sponsors for the Champions tournaments, which were intended to be marketable products.