Tag: PCB

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has granted no-objection certificates (NOCs) to Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, and Naseem Shah to feature in the various franchise leagues.

The board announced the NOCs in a press release, confirming the issuance of NOCs to seven players for participation in franchise leagues around the globe.

The duo of Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, who retired last December, have been issued NOCs to participate in The Hundred competition, currently underway in England.

Both players will represent Northern Superchargers in the ongoing season.

Amir and Imad, who are the first players from Pakistan this year to participate in The Hundred. They will replace Australian pacer Ben Dwarshius and New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, both of whom are injured.

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Besides the duo, pacer Naseem Shah and Iftikhar Ahmed were also issued the NOCs to feature in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Additionally, Faheem Ashraf and Khusdil Shah have also been granted NOCs to feature in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025.

Sharjeel Khan, the southpaw who last played for Pakistan at the international level in 2021, received an NOC to take part in the Top End T20 Series in Australia.

List of players granted NOCs

Imad Wasim – The Hundred (7 Aug 2025-10 Aug 2025)

Mohammad Amir – The Hundred (7 Aug 2025-10 Aug 2025)

Sharjeel Khan – Top End T20 Series in Australia 2025 (15 Aug 2025-25 Aug 2025)

Mohammad Amir – CPL 2025 (15 Aug 2025-22 Sep 2025)

Naseem Shah – CPL 2025 (15 Aug 2025-22 Sep 2025)

Iftikhar Ahmed – CPL 2025 (14 Aug 2025-21 Sep 2025)

Khushdil Shah – BPL (1 Dec 2025-15 Jan 2026)

Faheem Ashraf – BPL (1 Dec 2025-15 Jan 2026)

READ: Babar Azam eyes major milestone during West Indies ODIs

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has provisionally suspended middle-order batter Haider Ali following an incident that reportedly occurred during the Pakistan Shaheen’s recent tour of England.

According to the report, the board has been informed of an ongoing criminal investigation currently being conducted by the police against Haider Ali.

“The PCB has been made aware of a criminal investigation currently being conducted by the Greater Manchester Police involving cricketer Haider Ali,” the board said in a statement.

“The investigation pertains to an incident that reportedly occurred during the Pakistan Shaheens’ recent tour of England,” it added.

The PCB mentioned additional steps to provide legal support to safeguard Haider Ali’s rights.

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“In line with its duty of care and responsibility to ensure the welfare and legal rights of all its players, the PCB has ensured that Haider Ali has received appropriate legal support to protect his rights throughout this process,” the board said.

The board further stated that it fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the United Kingdom and acknowledges the need for the investigation to unfold properly.

As a result,  Haider Ali is under immediate provisional suspension pending the outcome of the current investigation.

Notably, the 24-year-old has represented Pakistan in two ODIs and 35 T20 Internationals, with his last appearance for the Green Shirts coming in 2023 against Afghanistan during the Asian Games.

READ: Shahid Afridi reveals key factors behind Pakistan’s decline in Test cricket

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan has reacted to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) recent decision, which bars his franchise from using the country’s name in future editions of the World Championship of Legends (WCL).

Khan expressed his disappointment regarding the “blanket ban” announced by the PCB following its 79th Board of Governors (BoG) meeting.

The cricket board released a strong statement on Sunday, criticizing the WCL organizers for their “double standards and politically motivated behavior.”

This decision was made after the India Champions refused to play against the Pakistan Champions during the WCL 2025, due to the ongoing political tensions between the two countries.

India pulled out of two scheduled matches, a group-stage encounter and the high-stakes semi-final, both of which were called off without a ball being bowled.

Points were shared in the group game, while Pakistan advanced to the final via a walkover in the semi-final.

However, the final saw Pakistan Champions fall short once again, suffering a nine-wicket defeat to South Africa Champions, their second successive runners-up finish in the tournament.

Despite the disappointment, Kamil Khan remained upbeat about his side’s overall campaign and strongly defended the team’s identity.

“Just like the first season, Pakistan Champions performed really well in the second season too,” he said while speaking to the media in Birmingham.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t win the final, which we really wanted to, and millions of Pakistanis were hoping for it as well.

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“But the team played well throughout. One bad day doesn’t make a team bad. Losing one final doesn’t mean the Pakistan Champions is over.”

Reacting to the PCB’s ban, Kamil made it clear that his team will return and continue to exist independently of the cricket board’s jurisdiction.

“We’ve seen reports that Pakistan Champions won’t be back, but I don’t know where that’s come from. If it’s from the PCB, then I’m not sure why,” he stated.

“This is our own team. I own it. It’s a private league, and I am the owner. PCB does not own the team. There are so many private leagues around the world; no one can stop us from naming our team after our country. Pakistan is our pride.”

Kamil Khan further revealed that the participation of Pakistani players in WCL 2025 was fully approved by the cricket board, as NOCs were obtained prior to the event.

“We took NOCs from the PCB for all the players,” he shared.

“In fact, we also met with Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who was supportive and helpful. I’m thankful to him for backing Pakistan Champions.”

He stressed that the team’s name was chosen to represent national pride, not to exploit official branding, and clarified that there was no infringement involved.

“There was no contact from the PCB before or after the tournament,” Kamil said.

“This is our national identity. We named the team accordingly. We didn’t use PCB’s logo or any of their branding, only their players, and that too after securing official clearance.”

READ: Pakistan’s star players join Northern Superchargers for The Hundred 2025

LAHORE: Fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Jr. has resumed training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore after recovering from the side strain that ruled him out of Pakistan’s recent tours of Bangladesh and the West Indies.

According to PCB sources, the 23-year-old has cleared all fitness tests and is now taking part in full-fledged training sessions under the supervision of the high-performance staff.

He is also focusing on refining his bowling action, a key area identified as a contributing factor to his repeated injury concerns.

The adjustments, aimed at reducing physical strain and improving long-term durability, are being closely monitored by medical and coaching personnel at the NCA.

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For the unversed, Mohammad Wasim Jr. sustained the injury during the latter stages of the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 while representing Quetta Gladiators.

Despite initial medical advice recommending a week’s rest, his recovery took longer than expected, forcing him out of the Bangladesh T20Is and the ongoing West Indies tour.

The right-arm pacer had earlier featured in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand earlier this year, playing two games and picking up a solitary wicket.

Despite his fitness struggles, Wasim delivered a solid PSL 10 campaign, finishing with 10 wickets in eight matches at an average of 20.80 and a tidy economy rate of 7.38, playing a crucial role in Quetta’s journey to the final.

READ: Babar Azam, Rizwan reach Florida to join Pakistan squad for West Indies ODIs

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday issued a statement regarding ace pacer Shaheen Afridi amid the West Indies tour.

The PCB addressed the reports attributed to pacer Shaheen Afridi’s rift with captain Salman Agha and deemed it “baseless, fabricated, and defamatory”.

“The PCB affirms that no such incident has occurred at any point during training or practice sessions.

These malicious rumours are entirely fictitious and appear to have been deliberately concocted with clear malafide intent to sow discord within the national squad,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement.

The cricket board termed the rumours an attempt to undermine the cohesion, morale, and reputation of the Pakistan national team.

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According to the PCB, the rumours about a dispute between Shaheen Afridi and Salman Agha were aimed at damaging the professional integrity of the players and the team.

“The PCB will be initiating stringent legal proceedings, including but not limited to defamation and cybercrime charges, against the individuals and/or entities responsible for originating and disseminating this false narrative,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said.

“The PCB remains committed to protecting its players, staff, and the sanctity of the national team from unwarranted and harmful speculation,” it concluded.

It is worth noting here that Shaheen Afridi is part of Pakistan’s squad for the T20I and ODI series against the West Indies.

The T20I series is scheduled to begin on August 1 with the first game at the Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium in Florida.

The national side will then face the hosts on August 3 in the second game at the same venue, while the final game is scheduled for August 4.

READ: WCL owner breaks silence on India’s refusal to play Pakistan

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Tuesday, introduced a three-tier departmental structure for the 2025-26 domestic season.

The new system, set to run from August 2025 to May 2026, features more than 40 departments split across three divisions: Grade I, Grade II, and the newly introduced Grade III, a first in the structure’s history.

Aimed at adding competitiveness and clarity to progression, the reformed model includes promotion and relegation between all three tiers.

The season will span first-class, List A, three-day, and two-day formats, offering players varied exposure across formats.

Grade-III will see two-day matches scheduled in March-April 2026. Teams were slotted into this division based on their performances in the 2024-25 President’s Trophy Grade-II.

The top two Grade-III teams will earn promotion, while the bottom two from Grade-II will be relegated in the next domestic season.

The Grade-II circuit, featuring 14 teams, including 12 top performers from last season and two relegated from Grade-I, will compete in three-day matches from March to May 2026.

President’s Trophy Grade-II Teams: Ahmed Glass, Ghani Institute, JDW Sugar Mills, Kingsmen, MIT Solutions, PAF, PHA Rawalpindi, Port Qasim, Railways, Sardar Group, Vital Tea, Wing 999 Sports, along with HEC and Eshaal Associates.

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The Grade-I departments will kick off the season with the 50-over President’s Cup in November–December, followed by the first-class President’s Trophy. The same eight teams will feature in both events.

Grade-I Participants: Ghani Glass, KRL, OGDCL, PTV, Sahir Associates, SBP, SNGPL, and WAPDA.

While the President’s Cup will consist of 31 List A matches, the President’s Trophy will feature 29 red-ball fixtures and wrap up in January 2026.

Bottom two teams from Grade I will be demoted, with Grade II’s best two earning promotion for the next season, ensuring constant competition and mobility.

The PCB also confirmed plans for a standalone 50-over competition for Grade-II sides next year’s domestic season, further broadening the domestic calendar.

Additionally, the board is encouraging departments to form women’s teams as part of its initiative to strengthen the women’s cricketing ecosystem, with further details expected soon.

PCB’s Director of Domestic Cricket Operations, Abdullah Khurram Niazi, hailed the development as a long-term investment in Pakistan’s cricketing future.

“Departmental cricket has become the backbone of our domestic season for the third consecutive year. This three-tier model incentivises performance, ensures competitiveness, and provides over 400 players the opportunity to represent their institutions on a national stage.”

READ: Bangladesh spinner expresses readiness for Test captaincy

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, lauded the Pakistan Hockey team for reaching the U-18 Hockey Asia Cup final on Friday.

Pakistan continued their unbeaten run in the tournament, emerging victorious in a narrowly contested semi-final. During the regular time, neither team could score a goal despite multiple attempts.

The outcome of the high-stakes encounter was decided on shootouts, where Green Shirts netted four goals and missed one. In contrast, Malaysia managed only three goals while missing two crucial chances to advance in the final.

This was Pakistan’s fifth consecutive win in the tournament, having previously defeated Bangladesh, China, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong dominantly.

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Pakistan will now face Japan in the final of the U-18 Hockey Asia Cup, set to be played on Sunday.

Mohsin Naqvi praised the hockey team for their unity and coordination in the semi-final.

“Pakistan Under-18 hockey team reached the final after demonstrating excellent play, said the board chairman. “The players demonstrated exceptional teamwork and coordination,” he noted.

Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated the team captain, coaches, and management on the achievement, expressing hope that Pakistan would come home with the winning trophy.

“The players have showcased remarkable performances throughout the tournament. I am confident that the U18 team will bring home the Asia Cup title,” he concluded.

Pakistan Hockey Squad for U-18 Asia Cup

Mohammad Usman, Atif Ali, Asam Junaid, Mohammad Abdullah Farooq, Abdullah Awan, Zubair Lateef, Mohammad Yaseen, Mohammad Ali Taj, Ghulam Mustafa, Ali Hamza, Ali Hamzad, Aamir Sohail, Adeel Afzal, Mohammad Zaman, Mohammad Hussain, Mohammad Shaheer, Hasan Shahbaz, Yaseen Jamshaid

Team management

Shafqat Malik (manager): Mukhtar Ahmed, Touseeq Ahmed, Masood-ur-Rahman (coaches)

READ: Pakistan edge past Malaysia to reach U-18 Hockey Asia Cup final

KARACHI: Pakistan women cricketers’ 27-day fitness and skills camp kicked off ahead of a packed international calendar here at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre on Tuesday.

The camp is currently underway under the supervision of Head Coach Mohammad Wasim, with 24 women cricketers participating.

The training camp is designed to enhance players’ skills through various drills. The women cricketers also practiced their fielding in a three-hour camp.

During the camp, coaches provided players with tips on improving their skills and fitness. In the evening session, the women cricketers will engage in net practice.

 

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For context, the camp, which features 24 players, is designed to fine-tune both technical skills and physical conditioning as the squad prepares for a crucial stretch of international commitments, including a T20I tour to Ireland and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

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Pakistan women team is scheduled to fly to Ireland on August 3, where they’ll face the hosts in a three-match T20I series at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground in Dublin. The fixtures are set for August 7, 10, and 11.

But the real spotlight will fall in October when the Green Shirts begin their ICC Women’s World Cup campaign, a tournament jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Due to the ‘fusion formula’ agreement between the PCB and BCCI, which rules out bilateral visits for ICC events until 2026, Pakistan will play all their matches in Colombo.

Pakistan women’s team opens their World Cup journey on October 2 against Bangladesh, followed by the much-anticipated clash with India on October 5.

The group stage continues with high-stakes fixtures against Australia (Oct 8), England (Oct 15), New Zealand (Oct 18), South Africa (Oct 21), and hosts Sri Lanka (Oct 24), all at the R Premadasa Stadium.

If Pakistan qualify for the knockouts, their semi-final will also be played in Colombo. The final is slated for November 2 in Bengaluru, unless Pakistan make it, in which case the showpiece will shift to Colombo, in accordance with the neutral venue policy.

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed joins Pakistan Champions for WCL 2025

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director of Domestic Cricket Operations, Abdullah Khurram Niazi, on Monday, explained the key decisions regarding the restructuring of domestic cricket in Pakistan.

While addressing the media in the Provincial capital, Abdullah Niazi revealed that a 15-member committee was formed to reform domestic cricket.

“A committee was formed in which 15 members decided, with consultation, to reform the previous domestic structure,” he said.

“Regional representatives were part of the reform committee, and it was unanimously decided that top-performing teams from last season will play in the main round,” he added.

Abdullah Khurram Niazi also shed light on the new format, noting the importance of top-performing regions.

“Some regions need to improve their standards, so we’ve devised a format where top-performing regions will directly feature in the main round. Underperforming ones will go through qualifying rounds, and the top two teams from the qualifiers will advance,” the PCB cricket operations director explained.

The Director said that under-19 level competitions, including three-day matches, will be organized regularly, while clarifying that no new tournaments have been introduced.

“Our upcoming structure revolves around regional cricket. These are not new tournaments — they’ve been played in the past.”

Khurram Niazi also stressed inclusivity while announcing the criteria for central contracts in domestic cricket.

“Central contracts in domestic cricket will be awarded based on performance in the previous season. We cannot ignore any region. The best players from all regions will be promoted. This isn’t about any single province’s pride — it’s about Pakistan.”

Speaking on merit-based selection, he noted, “In our culture, favoritism is often alleged. To counter that perception, we’ve improved the selection process significantly.”

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While speaking on the Champions Cup, he stated that Waqar Younis, Shoaib Malik, and Saqlain Mushtaq had to step back due to personal commitments.

“Some mentors did not want to continue their roles, though a few are still contributing. It is the result of mentors’ hard work that talent like Khawaja Nafay and Hasan Nawaz is nurtured.

He added that work is underway on strengthening cricket academies. “This was something our cricket ecosystem truly needed.”

The PCB Director of Domestic Cricket also discussed the financial and technical challenges of streaming domestic matches, while urging local sponsors to invest.

“Live streaming of domestic matches is under consideration, but the cost is significant — nearly three to four million rupees per day. It’s not easy.

Every country builds on its strengths, and we are striving to do the same. No director can influence player selection, and the PCB has made its selection criteria more transparent and performance-oriented,” he concluded.

For context, a day earlier, PCB announced a significantly revised domestic calendar for the 2025-26 season.

Among the notable changes was the participation of eight regional sides, compared to 18 from the previous year, in the forthcoming Pakistan’s premier domestic tournament, the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy.

READ: Haris Rauf ruled out as Pakistan names squad for Bangladesh T20I series

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Domestic Cricket Revamping Committee met this week to deliberate over a series of proposed changes to the domestic structure ahead of the new season, sources confirmed.

The session was marked by comprehensive discussions about possible modifications to the formats of Pakistan’s premier tournaments, specifically the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the esteemed Hanif Mohammad Trophy.

Stakeholders delved into various ideas and proposals aimed at enhancing the structure and appeal of these competitions.

Participants exchanged insights on how these changes could elevate the standard of domestic cricket in the country.

A formal announcement detailing the revamped domestic structure is anticipated in the near future.

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As per sources, one of the major outcomes of the meeting was the finalization of qualification criteria for two additional teams in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

The committee has proposed that the 12 remaining regional sides compete in the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, with the top two teams qualifying for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy alongside the six automatic entrants.

Before delving into the structural discussions, the committee undertook an in-depth examination of the performance of the domestic coaching staff.

Insider sources suggest that several domestic coaches, who have not met performance expectations during their tenures, could face non-renewal of their contracts for the upcoming season.

As a result, the board is preparing to open new coaching positions soon, awaiting the final approval from PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

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