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Thursday March 28, 2024

PCB plans fresh rules for domestic cricket development

By Our Correspondent
May 10, 2018

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plans to devise fresh rules and regulations for domestic cricket development and to please the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises and to keep the cricketers fitness intact, the players will be barred from participating in more than two leagues in a season.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of the committee formed to discuss various cricket matters. The meeting, held at Gaddafi Stadium, was presided over by PCB chairman Najam Sethi. The committee discussed rules for privately organised cricket, NOC policy for players participating in foreign leagues, proposed domestic cricket structure and existing infrastructure and its uplifting and up-gradation.

After detailed discussion on the issues, the PCB Chairman endorsed the decisions made on the agenda points taken up during the meeting. An official of the PCB later said that the rules for holding private league(s) have been made elaborately clear to the applicant(s) for clear understanding and applicants will have to fully abide by the rules made for granting permission to hold private league(s) before issuing any NOCs to them.

The rules will be circulated shortly to all parties who have shown interest in holding private tournaments involving current players. NOC policy for players participating in foreign leagues will now be enforced.

Centrally contracted players will be allowed to participate in two leagues only in a cricket season. The non-contracted players are bound to play at least three domestic first class matches for them to be entitled to receive NOC. Retired players do not need any NOC from PCB, however as per ICC rule they are bound to obtain NOC from PCB for 2 years from the date of their retirement. Cricket structure adopted in the cricket season 2017/18 will continue to be implemented in the forthcoming season of 2018/19.

Domestic players’ match fees would be enhanced in order to financially strengthen regional players to bring them at par with the departmental players. Monthly retainer-ship amount being paid to domestic players as per current policy will be diverted towards domestic players match fee enhancement. Organiation of PCB controlled club cricket at districts level cricket will be outsourced. This tournament will be in addition to the mandatory requirement of districts to organise two club level tournaments.

Shakil Shaikh, advisor to the Chairman PCB, has been given the task to visit all the first class centers and submit a report on pitches and infrastructures along with recommendations to upgrade the existing pitches and facilities within next 30 days.

The meeting was attended by Subhan Ahmad, Chief Operating Officer PCB, Mudassar Nazar, Director Academies, Inzamamul Haq, Chief Selector, Haroon Rashid, Director Cricket Operations, Shakil Ahmed Shaikh, Advisor to Chairman PCB, and Saqib Irfan, Sr. Manager Domestic Cricket Operations.