Departmental players likely to suffer from PCB’s plan

Board mulling staging inter-departmental T20 event in Ramazan.

KARACHI: Several organisers and cricketers depend on Ramazan to make extra money off night-match events, but their plans are likely to take a hit with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) mulling staging an inter-departmental T20 event during the month.

The board is organising a tournament that is likely to run for more than three weeks, leaving a very small window for others to stage an event during the month.

It has been learnt that if the PCB-planned event is held, players will be barred from taking part in any other tournament in Ramazan. Top events that are usually held during this time include the MA Shah Night Trophy, Karachi Gymkhana T20 event, RLCA Ramazan Cup and the Vital Five Tournament.

Players who take part in these events are paid a reasonable amount, which adds to their monthly salary given by their departmental teams.



However, with the PCB pondering staging an event of its own, departmental team players are left with no choice and will miss out on the extra ‘pocket money’.

“The PCB intends to organise a top-class departmental T20 tournament in Ramadan,” a top PCB official told The Express Tribune. “We’re working on finalising the details but so far, I can say that it will run for 23 days. We’ve received feedback that other T20 tournaments are really short. It seems like when the public starts to take an interest, the tournament finishes — this is why our event will have a longer duration.”

Former Test cricketer Moin Khan organised a Corporate T20 Cup last year, featuring top departments including HBL, NBP, PQA, UBL.

It needs to be mentioned that the PCB barred the national squad from taking part in any tournament in Ramazan ahead of the World Twenty20 last year.

In addition, the PCB also tried to keep an eye on all tournaments in order to keep the game ‘clean’ and organisers were left waiting for NOCs  despite sending all the details of their event.

While the PCB’s stance may have been justified earlier, an organiser said this time the board is going ‘too far’. “The PCB dented our events last year and fans didn’t bother showing up since top players did not take part,” said the organiser. “This time they’re going too far. If they want to arrange a tournament it’s their call. But they shouldn’t bar all the departmental players from taking part in other tournaments.”

The organiser’s call came after the PCB official stated that all departmental players would be barred from taking part in any other event. “If we go ahead with our event, then certainly departmental players will not be allowed to appear in any other competition,” the official added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2013.