PCB expands reforms committee to address challenges

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially expanded its Domestic Revamping and Reforms Committee, increasing its size from five to thirteen members in response to growing internal concerns over proposed changes to the domestic cricket structure.

A formal notification released by the PCB on Thursday confirmed the inclusion of eight new members, aimed at broadening perspectives and ensuring a more comprehensive approach to the ongoing reforms.

Initially formed on May 23, the five-member committee was mandated to submit recommendations to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi within five working days. However, following the expansion, no updated deadline has been provided.

According to sources, the committee had originally focused on a major overhaul of the domestic system, including reducing the number of domestic teams from 18 to 9—a move intended to enhance cricket quality by concentrating talent and resources within fewer, more competitive teams.

Despite an increase in the number of matches in recent seasons, concerns over the overall standard of domestic cricket have persisted. The initial committee, which featured only one regional representative—Khawaja Nadeem—was met with criticism over the lack of fair regional representation.

In response to these concerns, the expanded committee now includes six additional regional association presidents, many of whom also serve on the PCB Governing Board, ensuring regional perspectives play a larger role in decision-making.

Furthermore, Director of Domestic Cricket Abdullah Khurram Niazi and Senior GM Domestic Junaid Zia, who were previously under scrutiny, have been added to the panel—potentially signaling a shift in domestic operations leadership.