The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Monday that participation in domestic cricket will now be mandatory for selection in the national squad. This decision follows Pakistan’s disappointing performance and early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024, which drew criticism from former cricketers and analysts.
The decision was made during a comprehensive meeting chaired by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. The meeting focused on enhancing the quality of domestic cricket and included discussions on reviewing domestic contracts and implementing a strategic plan for improvement.
Pakistan’s early elimination from the T20 World Cup, marked by losses to the US and India, underscored the need for strengthening players’ skills and techniques, with suggestions from experts to send players back to the domestic circuit for development.
Naqvi emphasized the importance of promoting high-quality domestic cricket across all levels. He announced plans to organize tournaments from club to national levels consistently, aiming to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket standards. The PCB intends to hire top-tier coaches to professionally groom players and master coaches to train domestic cricket coaches.
Additionally, Naqvi reiterated the PCB’s commitment to selecting players based solely on performance and fitness, ensuring meritocracy in team selection. The meeting also reviewed the domestic cricket structures of cricketing nations like India, Australia, England, and New Zealand for insights and best practices.
The PCB’s decision signals a proactive approach to rejuvenating Pakistani cricket by investing in talent development at grassroots levels and aligning domestic cricket with international standards to enhance the national team’s competitiveness.
