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PCB unveils new domestic cricket structure for 2019-20

Dunya News

The cricket board announced that Kookaburra balls will come into play in the domestic games.

LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday unveiled the new domestic cricket structure for 2019-2020.

“We are delighted to announce that we have achieved the target of reforming our domestic structure. One of the key priorities of this PCB administration is to enhance the quality of cricket, which will in due course also begin to reflect in our on-field performances at the international level,” PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani expressed, as per press release issued by the board. “We want to develop consistency in our performances, across all formats, at the apex level so these reforms were pertinent.”

PCB Chairman said that the cricket boards look forward to facilitate the provincial associations in organizing their structure, that will be inclusive of the right to assemble a council which will look over the affairs and attaining of sponsorship deals.

“The PCB unveiled today an ambitious and competitive 2019-20 domestic cricket structure, which revolves around the creation of a more quality and intensity focused system to significantly improve first-class cricket and create sustainable success at international level. The new structure will give importance to club cricket, provide the best cricketing environment to young talented cricketers, reward top performers, create employment opportunities to former cricketers and qualified coaches, and bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket,” he added.

PCB stated that the new structure came into existence following constitutional amendments in the PCB constitution by the government.

Sixteen regions have now been absorbed into the newly formed association.

1. The Sindh Cricket Association includes Karachi, Hyderabad and Larkana
2. The Balochistan Cricket Association comprises Dera Murad Jamali and Quetta
3. The Southern Punjab Cricket Association includes Multan and Bahawalpur
4. The Central Punjab Cricket Association is made up of Faisalabad, Sialkot and Lahore
5. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cricket Association includes Peshawar, the former tribal areas and Abbottabad
6. The Northern Cricket Association comprises Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Azad Jammu and Kashmir

The new domestic structure will have three tiers, which will provide a clear pathway for the aspiring cricketers to make progress in their career.

First tier: 90-city cricket associations will be responsible for organizing club and school cricket in their respective jurisdictions and subsequently forming their city cricket teams

Second tier: The city cricket teams will participate in intra-city competitions within the jurisdiction of their cricket associations

Third tier: The best performing players from the intra-city competitions will form six cricket association sides that will participate in PCB-organized tournaments

Earning increases in new structure

Players’ earnings will also increase in the new structure through incentivising high-performing players.

“Thirty-two non-PCB centrally contracted players would be awarded annual domestic contracts at each cricket association and will feature in first-class, non-first class, List ‘A’, and T20 tournaments during a season. The cricket associations will also be free to select players from outside the pool of 32 contracted players on per-match payment,” read the statement.

“Each of the domestic contracted players will receive monthly retainers of Rs50,000 and it is anticipated that a high-performing player will earn between Rs2 million and Rs2.5 million per season in terms of allowances, match fees and prize money (details to be announced in due course).”

Kookaburra balls to be used in domestic games

The cricket board announced that Kookaburra balls will come into play in the domestic games.

“Since Pakistan play their home Test cricket with Kookaburra balls, having the same brand now in the first-class and non first-class tournaments will help the players prepare better for the challenges at the apex level,” according to the board.

“To support domestic cricket and provide and improve the cricket environment for professional cricketers, the PCB has taken measures to upgrade the quality of playing facilities, including pitches, outfields, player and umpire dressing rooms and media/broadcast working areas.”

Ehsan Mani also announced plans to spend Rs2 billion to renovate and upgrade the stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi and Quetta.

The PCB will undertake aggressive approach to market and promote Pakistan cricket throughout the course of the upcoming season. More details on the marketing and promotion plans will be shared in due course.

Meanwhile PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “A clear pathway is being laid out for the club cricketers to graduate to the provincial level cricket at the apex level. In all, approximately 450 players, coaches, physios, selectors and other support staff will be involved in domestic cricket. The launch of the new domestic structure perfectly aligns with the World Test Championship, which commenced with the Ashes. Pakistan’s opening series is in October and we aspire to feature in the final which will be held at the end of the two-year cycle in 2021.”

All Tournaments Schedule

Pakistan’s cricketing season 2019-20 will commence from September 14 with the first round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the country’s premier first-class tournament.

A total number of 31 matches – including the final – will be played, with every team playing 10 matches, home and away, on double round-robin basis.

With the commencement of the World Test Championship, red ball cricket remains a primary focus. The context behind the new scheduling will provide players with an opportunity to stake their claim and to equip themselves for the pressures of the Test Championship.

The first-class and non-first-class tournaments will run simultaneously, providing the six associations depth to choose the best XI for their first class matches. The same will be the case for the List ‘A’ and T20 cricket.

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

National U19 tournament (three-day and one-day tournament): October 1 –November 12.

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

National T20 Cup (both first and second XIs will play simultaneously): October 13-24. 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 – April 24, 2020.

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