There are fresh indications of changes in Pakistan's domestic cricket structure. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering reducing the number of teams from 18 to 9, focusing more on quality cricket rather than the number of matches.
Top officials are reportedly not satisfied with Director of Domestic Cricket, Abdullah Khurram Niazi, and Senior General Manager, Junaid Zia. However, both have managed to hold on to their positions for now.
Sources say that PCB's top management is not pleased with the level of talent emerging from the current domestic setup. Although a record number of matches are being played at different levels, the overall standard of cricket has not been impressive.
Recently, a committee was formed to suggest reforms for domestic cricket. Neither Niazi nor Junaid were included in this committee, which is seen as a sign of no confidence in them.
The committee mainly consists of non-cricketers such as Bilal Afzal (Advisor to the Chairman), Sameer Syed (COO), and Khawaja Nadeem (President, RCA Lahore). Apart from them, former interim head coach Aaqib Javed and Wahab Riaz are also part of the discussions.
They were directed to submit a report to the PCB Chairman within five working days. Aaqib Javed has played a leading role in this process, while Wahab Riaz is reportedly receiving advice from his friend Salman Butt.
Now, once again, a proposal to reduce the number of domestic teams from 18 to 9 is being seriously considered. A final decision is expected soon. PCB officials believe that fewer but stronger teams will produce players better suited for international cricket.
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