PCB looks to start domestic season in October at select venues

Normally Pakistan’s domestic season begins around late August with the national junior championship and lasts until April.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is planning to start its delayed domestic cricket season from early October at select venues across the country. “The idea is to have a reduced domestic season at less venues to limit the travel and moving about off players, coaches and officials,” a source said. He said a final decision on the domestic cricket schedule would be taken in early September so there is time for preparations.

File image of Ehsan Mani.(PTI)

“The PCB is contemplating a process where all players, coaches, officials and ground staff who will be involved in the domestic season will first all be tested for the coronavirus and then cleared to take part in the season,” the source said.

Normally Pakistan’s domestic season begins around late August with the national junior championship and lasts until April.

The source said that the PCB had decided to follow SOPs similar to the ones being implemented in the ongoing Test series between West Indies and England.

The PCB has come under fire for changing its domestic cricket structure last season in which all departments and bank teams were disengaged from domestic events and first class cricket was restricted to just six provincial teams.

The PCB has offered enhanced monthly retainers and match fees to the players who will be part of the six provincial teams and also those who will play for the six teams in division two non-first class tournament.

Due to the departments and banks being disengaged from domestic events, a number of them have closed down their sports or cricket wings and left many players and officials unemployed, leading to the PCB and government being widely criticised for causing job losses.

On Tuesday, sacked cricketers and coaches of the Sui Gas team held demonstrations to highlight their plights in these difficult times.