PCB committee begins evaluation of domestic coaches

ISLAMABAD: A five-member Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Evaluation Committee, given the task of assessing coaches and support staff’s performance, started its evaluation process in an effort to remove the existing flaws and weaknesses to make domestic cricket more effective and result-oriented.

The Committee is headed by Abdullah Khurram Niazi and includes Junaid Zia (GM Domestic), Misbah-ul-Haq (Test cricketer), Azhar Ali (Test cricketer) and Asad Shafiq (Test cricketer and member selection Committees). It is empowered to evaluate the performance of the entire coaching panel including the support staff at the district level.

“Over 100 coaches will undergo performance evaluation with emphasis on how the last season has gone by in special reference to the performance of coaches deputed to carry out their duties at the district level. There have been no set criteria previously where we can determine how coaches and support staff have taken up their duties and how to bifurcate the best one with those having a lackluster approach. For a better and more result-oriented domestic cricket, such a practice is all the more important,” a PCB official when approached, said.

Pakistan’s next domestic season starts from September 2024.

“The process is lengthy as besides the coaches, support staff including managers and other associated officials will also undergo an evaluation process. There is no denying the fact that a better and stronger domestic structure helps in grooming talent that first steps on the district level before moving forward to the first-class level.

Under the clear instructions of Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi, more emphasis is on establishing a solid base for future domestic cricket. Evaluation through relevant and experienced brain is all the more important.” When asked as to how much time will be required to complete the evaluation process, the official said since a high number of coaches and support staff will be evaluated, it could take more than a couple of months.

“This time around the PCB has decided to conduct a thorough assessment to get a better understanding of coaches and support staff’s available talent around the country. These officials form the base of the cricket structure at the domestic level so their work would be closely judged by the Committee before finalizing their report. Based on the report these coaches and officials will get the future assignments. That is the reason why this effort is all the more important.”

The News has learned that besides respective teams’ performance, coaches’ interaction with cricketers and their efforts to coach and train them professionally would be more important for the Committee members to analyze.