Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday launched the first-ever Pakistan Junior League (PJL) and invited sponsors for bidding.

“I am thrilled and excited that after days of hard work and planning, we have today released the Expression of Interest document for the Pakistan Junior League, the first-ever international league of its kind in the world, the first edition of which we plan to organise this year in October,” the PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said in a video message.

“This will be a city-based league with players to be selected through a draft system involving international age-group cricketers,” Raja explained, adding that the league will include both domestic and foreign cricketers.

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He said that the cricket board will create an environment of brilliance with legends and icons of the game sitting in player dug-outs as mentors and coaches, and broadcast coverage from the top draw.

“A young apprentice can be molded into a genius with the right environment, which we intend to create in this format," he said.

“The PJL integrates very nicely with the PCB Junior Pathways Programme in which the PCB, through strategic partnerships, has provided contracts to 100 best cricketers who will now receive coaching from foreign experts, and education at five-star institutions and monthly stipends of Rs30,000 each.

“Initiatives like PJL are all about creating opportunities for cricketers, identifying the talent, nurturing them into world-class players, and closing the gap between domestic and international cricket.”

Earlier, the cricket board released the request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for various available rights relating to the Twenty20 competition, which is scheduled for October this year.

“The PCB is requesting expression of interest from the interested parties for the title sponsorship, live streaming, category sponsorship, and team franchises,” the press release said.

The interested parties can download the EOI form from the PCB website under Documents/Pakistan Junior League and email their filled-in EOIs to bidding@pcb.com.pk before April 2022, 26.