Domestic Cricket
On Monday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled a groundbreaking plan to revamp the country’s domestic cricket structure, aiming to close the gap between domestic and international levels.
This initiative includes the introduction of the Champions domestic tournaments: the Champions One-Day Cup, the Champions T20 Cup, and the Champions First-Class Cup. The announcement was made during a press conference at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
The Champions tournaments are designed to elevate the standard of domestic cricket by providing a platform that mirrors the intensity and competitiveness of international cricket.
This initiative is part of the PCB’s broader effort to address the recent scrutiny faced by the board due to the men’s team’s underwhelming performances in major tournaments, including the Asia Cup 2023 and the T20I World Cup 2024, where the team failed to advance beyond the Super Eight stage.
At the press conference, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, accompanied by PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Nasser and newly-appointed Adviser on Cricket Affairs Waqar Younis, emphasized that the current rankings of Pakistan’s cricket teams do not accurately reflect the country’s cricketing heritage and potential.
The board has been actively engaging with former cricketers to discuss improvements in the domestic cricket infrastructure and ecosystem.
The Champions tournaments will feature broadcast matches, legendary mentors, elite coaching staff, and extensive media coverage.
This approach is intended to provide domestic players with the exposure and experience needed to thrive in high-pressure environments, thereby rejuvenating and strengthening Pakistan’s cricket ecosystem.
The PCB’s plan includes organizing a total of 261 matches across eight men’s senior tournaments, incorporating teams such as Dolphins, Lions, Panthers, Stallions, and Wolves.
These tournaments will adopt a double-league format and involve approximately 150 of the country’s top-performing domestic players from the past three years, alongside centrally contracted players available for selection.
Each team will also have a former Pakistani cricket superstar as a mentor and potentially as an owner, with dedicated high-performance centers allocated in Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Sialkot.
The Champions One-Day Cup will kick off the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25, running from September 1 to September 29. This tournament will feature five teams playing 21 matches.
The Champions T20 Cup is scheduled from December 21 to January 2, while the Champions First-Class Cup will take place from May 28 to August 5, with each tournament comprising 21 matches.
Additionally, the PCB has announced enhanced domestic contracts for 150 players, categorized as follows:
- Category 1: 40 players will receive Rs550,000 per month.
- Category 2: 50 players will receive Rs400,000 per month.
- Category 3: 60 players will receive Rs250,000 per month.
Beyond the monthly retainers, players will benefit from improved match fees: Rs200,000 for red-ball cricket, Rs125,000 for 50-over matches, and Rs100,000 for T20 matches.
This comprehensive plan aims to build a robust and competitive domestic cricket framework that consistently produces world-class talent.
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