PCB’s domestic structure to reintegrate departments

Since 2019, the domestic cricketing structure in Pakistan has been restricted to six teams (provincial) from the 16 teams that existed before, omitting departments from the structure. Under Ehsan Mani’s leadership, however, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have now sent an invite to the 27 departments in a view to reintegrate them in the setup, in a bid to increase the talent pool in the country. 

"The letters (of invitation to the departments) were dispatched to the departments on behalf of Mr Najam Sethi, Chair of the PCB Management Committee, in accordance with the PCB Constitution 2014 and on the specific instructions of PCB's Patron, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is keen to see return of the department to play their integral role in the growth and development of Pakistan cricket,” PCB’s press release stated on Tuesday. 

That will ensure that the domestic structure have 16 teams, and will increase the player pool from 192 to 592. In the past, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan had voiced his views on the inclusion of the departments in the cricketing setup. 

The various departments include Ghani Glass, Income Tax, K-Electric, Karachi Port Trust, Khan Research Laboratory, National Bank of Pakistan, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Omar Associates, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan International Airlines, Port Qasim Authority, Pakistan Television Corporation, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), Pakistan Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL).