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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director of Domestic Cricket Operations, Abdullah Khurram Niazi, on Monday, explained the key decisions regarding the restructuring of domestic cricket in Pakistan.
While addressing the media in the Provincial capital, Abdullah Niazi revealed that a 15-member committee was formed to reform domestic cricket.
“A committee was formed in which 15 members decided, with consultation, to reform the previous domestic structure,” he said.
“Regional representatives were part of the reform committee, and it was unanimously decided that top-performing teams from last season will play in the main round,” he added.
Abdullah Khurram Niazi also shed light on the new format, noting the importance of top-performing regions.
“Some regions need to improve their standards, so we’ve devised a format where top-performing regions will directly feature in the main round. Underperforming ones will go through qualifying rounds, and the top two teams from the qualifiers will advance,” the PCB cricket operations director explained.
The Director said that under-19 level competitions, including three-day matches, will be organized regularly, while clarifying that no new tournaments have been introduced.
“Our upcoming structure revolves around regional cricket. These are not new tournaments — they’ve been played in the past.”
Khurram Niazi also stressed inclusivity while announcing the criteria for central contracts in domestic cricket.
“Central contracts in domestic cricket will be awarded based on performance in the previous season. We cannot ignore any region. The best players from all regions will be promoted. This isn’t about any single province’s pride — it’s about Pakistan.”
Speaking on merit-based selection, he noted, “In our culture, favoritism is often alleged. To counter that perception, we’ve improved the selection process significantly.”
While speaking on the Champions Cup, he stated that Waqar Younis, Shoaib Malik, and Saqlain Mushtaq had to step back due to personal commitments.
“Some mentors did not want to continue their roles, though a few are still contributing. It is the result of mentors’ hard work that talent like Khawaja Nafay and Hasan Nawaz is nurtured.
He added that work is underway on strengthening cricket academies. “This was something our cricket ecosystem truly needed.”
The PCB Director of Domestic Cricket also discussed the financial and technical challenges of streaming domestic matches, while urging local sponsors to invest.
“Live streaming of domestic matches is under consideration, but the cost is significant — nearly three to four million rupees per day. It’s not easy.
Every country builds on its strengths, and we are striving to do the same. No director can influence player selection, and the PCB has made its selection criteria more transparent and performance-oriented,” he concluded.
For context, a day earlier, PCB announced a significantly revised domestic calendar for the 2025-26 season.
Among the notable changes was the participation of eight regional sides, compared to 18 from the previous year, in the forthcoming Pakistan’s premier domestic tournament, the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy.
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