The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled a comprehensive plan to revamp domestic cricket in a bid to elevate the standard of the game and bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket. Announced by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi at a press conference held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, the new initiative includes the introduction of the Champions domestic tournaments aimed at providing players with exposure to the rigors and pressures of international cricket.
The PCB will launch three Champions tournaments: the One-Day Cup, the T20 Cup, and the First-Class Cup. These tournaments are designed to bring together the top performers from domestic cricket and the board’s centrally contracted players. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance and expand Pakistan’s cricket infrastructure, which has been under scrutiny due to the national team’s recent poor performances in major international events, such as the Asia Cup 2023 and the T20I World Cup 2024, where the team failed to advance beyond the Super Eight stage.
In recent meetings with former cricketers, Naqvi discussed various measures to improve the domestic cricketing ecosystem. Flanked by PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Nasser and newly appointed Adviser on Cricket Affairs Waqar Younis, Naqvi expressed his dissatisfaction with the current international rankings of the Pakistani team. He emphasized that the Champions tournaments would help address this issue by creating a more competitive and high-quality domestic environment.
The Champions tournaments will feature broadcast matches, legendary mentors, elite coaching staff, and extensive media coverage, offering domestic players a platform to experience an environment that mirrors international cricket. This initiative is expected to revolutionize Pakistan’s cricketing structure by establishing a clear pathway from clubs, schools, and universities through intra-district, inter-district, regional, and departmental competitions.
The introduction of these tournaments will significantly increase the number of domestic matches, with a total of 261 games scheduled across eight senior tournaments. The Champions tournaments will include five teams: Dolphins, Lions, Panthers, Stallions, and Wolves. These teams will compete in a double-league format, involving approximately 150 of the country’s top domestic players from the past three years, along with available centrally contracted players.
Each team will benefit from the guidance of a former Pakistani cricket star, who will serve as a mentor and potentially an owner. Additionally, the teams will be allocated dedicated regional high-performance centers in Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Sialkot, further supporting player development and training.
The Champions One-Day Cup is set to kick off the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25, running from September 1 to September 29, featuring 21 matches. The Champions T20 Cup will follow, taking place from December 21 to January 2, and the Champions First-Class Cup will be held from May 28 to August 5, with both tournaments also featuring 21 matches each.
In addition to these structural changes, the PCB has announced enhanced domestic contracts for 150 players. The new contracts will be categorized as follows: Category 1 players will receive Rs550,000 per month, Category 2 players will get Rs400,000 per month, and Category 3 players will earn Rs250,000 per month. Alongside these monthly retainers, players will also receive improved match fees: Rs200,000 for red-ball cricket, Rs125,000 for 50-over matches, and Rs100,000 for T20 matches.
This overhaul of the domestic cricket structure is expected to provide Pakistani players with the necessary experience and exposure to perform at an international level. By fostering a more competitive domestic environment, the PCB aims to develop world-class talent and improve the overall performance of the national team on the global stage.
