PCB to improve, strengthen cricket; plans academies in Faisalabad, Rawalpindi

With a view to further improve the game of cricket and to strengthen the existing cricketing structure in Pakistan, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is devising a five-year strategic plan, which will be presented to the Board of Governors (BoGs) of the PCB at its the next meeting.
Chairman PCB Shaharyar M. Khan said this while speaking at the 34th meeting of the Board of Governors (BoGs) of the PCB held at the National Cricket Academy here Tuesday.
Shaharyar M. Khan said that the PCB's five-year strategic plan is aimed at streamlining the board's planning related to a number of areas. Among other things, the plan focuses on domestic cricket, grassroots structure, women's cricket, business development, marketing, and enabling high performance.
The meeting was also attended by Najam Sethi, Chairman Executive Committee, Shakeel Ahmed Sheikh, Chairman Cricket Committee, Gul Zada, Peshawar Region, Mansoor Masood Khan, UBL, Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, Wapda, Professor Ijaz Ahmed Faruqi, Karachi Region and Amjad Latif, SNGPL. Subhan Ahmed, COO, Badar Manzoor Khan, CFO, and Ehsan Mani, Chairman Broadcasting Rights Committee of the PCB were also present.
The PCB Chairman informed the Board of Governors members that new regional academies will be set up in Faisalabad and Rawalpindi. In addition, existing academies at Multan and Karachi will be upgraded and made operational.
International cricket's return to Pakistan was also brought up in the meeting as the Chairman touched upon the interest of leading associate members of the ICC to tour Pakistan in the near future.
Chairman PCB also stated that the PSL Committee is formulating plans for holding PSL at the appropriate time next year.
The Board of Governors approved awarding broadcasting rights to Pakistan Television and Ten Sports, joint-bidders for PCB's next rights cycle for five years.
Chairman PCB also informed the Board of Governors about the appointments of Azhar Ali and Haroon Rashid as ODI captain and Chief Selector, respectively. He stated that these appointments were made following extensive consultations with various members of the cricket fraternity.
It may be noted that Azhar Ali was named as captain of the ODI team. Sarfraz Ahmed was appointed as vice captain of ODI and T20 formats. Misbah ul Haq and Shahid Afridi were retained as captain of Test and T-20 respectively. Moreover, Haroon Rasheed was appointed as Chief Selector of four-member senior selection committee comprising Saleem Jaffar, Azhar Khan and Kabir Khan.