Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday presented a new look domestic structure to separate the departments and regions in domestic tournaments to improve the quality of the domestic cricket and to bring it at par with international standard. Director General, PCB, Javed Miandad unveiled the structure at a news conference here at Gadaffi stadium. Intikahab Alam, Zakir Khan and Shafiq Paba were also present on the occasion.
Miandad said the new structure will create new benchmarks in domestic cricket helping the cricketers to sharpen their skills and to showcase their talent in a professional way just on the pattern of international cricket. He said the Patrons trophy has been renamed as 'President's Trophy grade one' in which only departments would be playing and the event will be played from October 3, 2012 at different centres across the country.
"We have introduced a new structure after a thorough consideration having input from different cricketing quarters, which are related with the game. The PCB committee finalised it keeping in view the ever growing needs at domestic level", he asserted.
Miandad said the new structure aims at enhancing the domestic cricket quality as the matches will be played on international standard facilities under the supervision of qualified technical officials and umpires. "All the participating teams will be equipped with full coaching staff and all the grounds will be of international standard and it is going to be a domestic event being played in an international manner", he said.
He said doping test will be conducted on random basis during the matches and its samples would be sent abroad and anti corruption rules will also be implemented during the matches. "All these efforts aim at presenting an improved structure where cricket is being played in a way ensuring high quality and standards", he said adding, a committee comprising Intikhab Alam, Zakir Khan, Agha Zahid, Shafiq Papa and Saqib Irfan will be monitoring the entire domestic season to put up its recommendations for further improvement. A secret committee would also be functioning to have an overall look on the domestic circuit and will also be submitting its report to PCB.
Miandad was of the view that by improving the domestic cricket quality they would be able to produce 'quality cricketers' to serve the Pakistan cricket in a better and more professional way. He said Inter region U-19 three-day and one-day tournaments will follow the Presidents' trophy after which Quaid-e-Azam trophy will be played. "This year we will be having 14 teams in Quaid-e-Azam trophy instead of 13 as Bahawalpur is the new addition in it", he said adding "we are expanding the base of regional cricket by inducting more teams to provide ample opportunity to our upcoming cricketers", he said.
He said PCB is striving for the cause of domestic cricket and it is hoped the new system will help in producing professional cricketers. To a question, he said, he wants to see Pakistan team winning the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. "Every match of the Cup is very important and I am confident that Pakistan will launch it campaign in Super-8 against South Africa on a confident note by beating the rivals".