The 56th PCB’s Board of Governors meeting was held in Lahore on Friday. The following are the outcomes of the meeting:
Return of Test cricket in Pakistan after 10 years
The PCB’s supreme body lauded the management for convincing Sri Lanka Cricket to send their men’s national team to Pakistan for the World Test Championship matches. Next month’s matches in Rawalpindi (11-15 December) and Karachi (19-23 December) will be the first time Pakistan will stage Tests since March 2009.
The BoG acknowledged the PCB’s efforts to engage with Cricket Australia, England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Ireland officials and hoped their hard work will materialise in Australia, England and Ireland sending their national sides in the near future.
The BoG expressed satisfaction that the PCB was in discussions with a number of boards for additional home series in 2020, details of which will be shared as and when those series are confirmed.
The BoG also congratulated the PCB for the successful staging of international series against Sri Lanka national men’s team, Bangladesh national women’s team and Bangladesh U19 team in September/October and recognised these matches have portrayed the image of Pakistan as a safe and secure country.
HBL Pakistan Super League 2020
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan informed the BoG that preparations to stage all 34 matches of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 in Pakistan are on track.
In this relation, and because Multan and Rawalpindi will be hosting the HBL PSL matches for the first time, PCB’s independent security consultants Eastern Star Internationals (ESI) will be carrying out inspections of these two venues from 29 November. Karachi and Lahore, the other two match venues, have already staged HBL PSL and international fixtures and, as such, they do not require fresh security clearance from the ESI.
Following the venue inspections, the PCB will formally announce the event dates and schedule, but it was confirmed that HBL PSL 2020 Player Draft will take place at the National Cricket Academy on 6 December.
For the efficient and smooth event planning and delivery, an oversight committee, comprising PCB Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary to the Board had been set-up. In addition to this, PCB Director – Commercial, Babar Hamid, has been appointed as the chair of the Organising Committee, which will also include representatives of all the PCB departments.
2019-20 domestic season
The BoG noted a report on the revamped 2019-20 domestic season, which commenced on 14 September. In the past 10 weeks, the following events have taken place:
· Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class – 24 matches played to date out of 31
· Quaid-e-Azam Trophy three-day tournament – 30 matches played to date out of 31
· National T20 Cup (first XI) – 18 matches. Northern won
· National T20 Cup (second XI) – 18 matches. Northern won
· National U19 three-day cricket tournament – 16 matches. Sindh won
· National U19 one-day tournament – 16 matches. Sindh won
· National Triangular One-Day Women Cricket Championship – seven matches. PCB Blasters won
· Skill2Shine U18 T20 Women’s Championship – six matches played to date out of seven
The BoG was informed that despite paucity of time and the unavailability of three Test centres due to upgradation work, the operational and logistical planning followed by the execution of the matches was meticulous, while innovation such as no-toss rule, introduction of Kookaburra balls supported by well-balanced sides, improved cricket facilities and live-streaming enhanced the overall quality of cricket.
However, it was acknowledged that the quality of pitches and curators’ training needed to be further improved for which the PCB was in discussions with Andy Atkinson, ICC’s pitch consultant.
Model Constitution for Cricket Associations
The BoG approved the Model Constitution for Cricket Associations, entities which have replaced the erstwhile regional cricket associations as per the new PCB Constitution 2019.
The model constitution reflects the essence and spirit of the PCB Constitution 2019. It not only sets out the objectives and functions to be discharged by the Cricket Associations, but also contains guidelines/rules in respect of their operation as independent legal entities responsible for the development of first-class cricket in their respective jurisdictions; the supervision of City Cricket Associations under their control; and regulation of affairs of the Cricket Association itself as well.
Some of the salient features of the model constitution, which will shortly be available on the PCB’s corporate website, are:
i) As per Article 3.2, a Cricket Association will be incorporated and registered as a society under the relevant Societies Act, the membership of which will comprise affiliated City Cricket Associations.
ii) Article 5 deals with City Cricket Association members
iii) As per Article 6.1, the General Body composition of the Cricket Association is that of its President, Vice-President and Secretary, along with the President of each member City Cricket Association.
iv) As per Article 9.1, the nine-member Management Committee will include three members elected by the General Body, three independent members nominated by the PCB Nominations Committee, two representatives of the Principal Sponsor of the Cricket Association and an elected President. The tenure of the members will be three years each.
v) The qualification criteria for a General Body and/or Management Committee member is set out in Article 12.
vi) The non-exhaustive list of Powers and Functions of the Management Committee are provided in detail under Article 10; however, some of the key responsibilities include:
a. Appointments of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and other officers of the Cricket Association and appointment of a selection committee on the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer
b. Submission of complete audited and management accounts to PCB
c. Formulation of policies for the development of cricket in its jurisdiction at all levels
d. Control and/or management of the affairs of the stadium, sports complex(es), gymnasia and playing grounds owned or supervised by it
e. Enter into contracts in furtherance of the objects of the Cricket Association
f. Implementation of the programmes formulated by the Cricket Association
vii) As per Article 24, the Principal Sponsor will be appointed through a transparent bidding process on a three to five year basis and shall be granted naming, branding and other sponsorship rights pertaining to the Cricket Association.
BOG members were apprised that as per Clause 16(2) of the PCB Constitution 2019 departments or organisations who were maintaining cricket teams participating in national tournaments at the time of promulgation of the new PCB Constitution shall be offered a first right of refusal to be the Principal Sponsor of the Cricket Associations.
Following the constitution approval, the PCB will now appoint and soon announce interim committees to run the Cricket Associations.
Creation and Demarcation of the First City Cricket Associations
The BoG approved the creation and demarcation of the First City Cricket Associations. This was necessitated following the enforcement of the PCB Constitution 2019 in which six Cricket Associations have replaced the 16 Regions.
According to the approved territorial distribution the following cities (including certain Zones within Lahore and Karachi) are now part of the below outlined Cricket Associations and shall be the first City Cricket Associations:
Balochistan (13) – Gwadar, Jaffarabad, Killa Abdullah (Chaman), Khuzdar, Naseerabad, Nushki (tagged Chaghi), Lasbela, Loralai, Panjgur, Pishin, Quetta (tagged Kalat), Sibi and Turbat
Central Punjab (16) – Bhakkar, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Jhang, Kasur, Lahore (East Zone), Lahore (North Zone), Lahore (West Zone), Mandi Bahauddin, Mianwali, Narowal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura and Sialkot
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (19) – Abbottabad, Bajour, Bannu, Buner, Charsadda, Dera Ismail Khan (tagged Tank & SW), Haripur, Khyber Agency, Kohat, Kurram Agency, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Mardan, Mohmand Agency, Nowshera, Peshawar, Swabi, Swat and Upper Dir
Northern (11) – Attock, Bagh-Hattian, Chakwal, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Jhelum, Kotli-Sudhanoti, Mirpur-Bhimber, Muzaffarabad, Poonch-Kahuta Haveli and Rawalpindi
Sindh (17) - Badin, Hyderabad, Jamshoro (tagged Thatta), Karachi Zone 1, Karachi Zone 2, Karachi Zone 3, Karachi Zone 4, Karachi Zone 5, Karachi Zone 6, Karachi Zone 7, Khairpur, Larkana (Dadu & Jacobabad), Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Shikarpur and Sukkur
Southern Punjab (14) – Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Khanewal, Lodhran, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Okara, Pakpattan, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Sahiwal and Vehari
Other matters
The BoG briefly discussed recent performances of the Pakistan men’s national team and reiterated their support for head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq.
The BoG was briefed on the legal matter relating to IMG Reliance Ltd (IMGR), who had unilaterally terminated the Production Services Agreement for HBL PSL 2019. A legal notice was sent to IMGR on 21 October and thereafter PCB has initiated arbitration proceedings before the London Court of International Arbitration claiming damages.
The BoG approved the Constitution of the Pakistan Deaf Cricket Association, which will be uploaded here in due course.
The BoG was informed that the preliminary meeting of the Nominations Committee took place on 18 November. A follow-up meeting will take place on 10 December.
The BoG accepted the resignation of the PCB’s Chief Operating Officer and noted that in the interim period, the Chief Executive will assign the functions of the Chief Operating Officer to another officer of the Board.
It was agreed next BoG meeting will be scheduled in Peshawar. Dates will be announced closer to the meeting.
