LAHORE-The Najam Sethi-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee has decided to launch Pakistan Women’s League and discontinue Pakistan Junior League.
This was decided during the second meeting of the PCB Management Committee chaired by Najam Sethi here at the National High Performance Centre on Saturday. The PCB Management Committee, as part of its strategy to continue to invest in women’s cricket, has expressed its enthusiasm and commitment to launch ‘The Women’s League’, which has been renamed as ‘Pakistan Women’s League’.
It must be noted that former PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja had initially announced ‘The Women’s League’ during his tenure. When Ramiz Raja was PCB chief, the board had announced that the women’s league will run alongside the Pakistan Super League 8 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in March 2023.
“Four city-based sides, each comprising 12 local and six foreign players, will compete for the biggest prize in Pakistan’s women domestic calendar on a double-league format,” the PCB had said in a press release in October earlier this year. “The final will be a standalone fixture between the top-two sides following 12 league matches and will take place a day before the PSL 8 final,” it added.
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But the Management Committee agreed to discontinue the Pakistan Junior League. However, to ensure there is a pathway for the high-performing teenagers and the country continues to produce talented cricketers across all age gaps, it was agreed to revive junior series on a home and away basis.
It was also agreed to hold discussions with the HBL Pakistan Super League franchises to include an Under-19 player under their Emerging Categories in the playing line-ups. The Committee also held an extensive discussion on the restoration of the Regional and District Cricket Associations and Departments/Service Organisations in line with the PCB Constitution 2014.
It was announced Regional and District Cricket Associations and Departments/Service Organisations stand restored and a strategic plan will now be prepared to include them formally in the domestic cricket structure, including participation in the PCB Board of Governors in due course.
The PCB Management Committee confirmed that it will honour and fulfil all Domestic Player Contracts, which are valid until August 2023. The Committee also approved the constitution of 12 PCB Committees and agreed that their compositions will be announced in due course.
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The constituted committees include Domestic Restructuring Committee, Domestic Restoration Committee for Region, Department Cricket Restoration Committee, NHPC Remodeling Committee, Restructuring of Women’s Cricket Committee, Cricket Infrastructure Committee, Audit Committee, Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee, Human Resource Committee, Legal Affairs Committee, National Selection Committees and Benevolent Fund Committee.