PCB to introduce three Champions tournaments in next domestic season

The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the addition of three Champions tournaments as part of the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 in order to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket, provide a tougher, more competitive and high-pressure cricket playing environment, and create better and enhanced earning opportunities for its future stars, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The Champions One-Day Cup, Champions T20 Cup and Champions First-Class Cup will join the National T20 Cup, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (regional first-class tournament), President’s Trophy (departmental first-class tournament), President’s Cup (departmental 50-over event), and HBL Pakistan Super League 2025 in the 2024-25 domestic cricket season, expected to run from 1 September 2024 to 5 August 2025.

With the addition of three Champions tournaments, the PCB will now organise a total of 261 matches across eight men’s senior tournaments. This includes 131 first-class matches in three events, 40 50-over matches in two events and 97 T20 matches in three events. In the 2023-24 season, the PCB had organised 203 matches in the six men’s senior tournaments, including 51 first-class matches in two tournaments, 55 50-over matches in two events and 97 T20 matches.

Salient features of the newly-introduced Champions tournaments are:

o      Five sides – Dolphins, Lions, Panthers, Stallions and Wolves - will compete in each Champions Cup event

o      Each Champions Cup event will be played in a double-league format

o      Around 150 of the country’s highest-performing domestic players from the past three years and centrally contracted players will be available for selection (more details to be shared in due course)

o      Each side will have a former Pakistan superstar as a mentor and potentially as an owner (mentor and owner names/details to be announced in due course)

o      Player support personnel of each side are expected to include: Head Coach (at least Level 3, minimum five years with a first-class side), batting/bowling/fielding coaches (minimum Level 3, three-year experience), Strength and Conditioning Coach, Physiotherapist, Analyst, Operations Manager, and Media/Digital Media Manager

o      Each side will be allocated a dedicated Regional High Performance Centre in Faisalabad (High Performance Centre Faisalabad), Karachi (Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre), Lahore (National Cricket Academy), Multan (Inzamam-ul-Haq High Performance Centre), and Sialkot (High Performance Centre, Sialkot) for training and practice

o      Enhanced domestic contracts will be offered to 150 cricketers as: Category 1: 40 players, PKR550,000 per month; Category 2: 50 players, PKR400,000 per month; Category 3: 60 players, PKR250,000 per month. In the 2023-24 season, domestic contracts were offered as PKR300,000 for A+ Category, PKR200,000 for A Category, PKR185,000 for B Category, PKR170,000 for C Category, PKR150,000 for D Category, PKR100,000 for E Category, and PKR50,000 for F Category

o      In addition to the monthly retainers, players will receive improved match fees as follows: PKR200,000 for red-ball cricket, PKR125,000 for 50-over matches and PKR100,000 for T20 matches. In the 2023-24 season, match fees were PKR80,000 and PKR40,000 for red and white-ball cricket, respectively

o      Each side will have a Corporate Sponsor and Media Partner. Other revenue streams will include broadcast and live-streaming rights, event title sponsorship, ground branding rights and ticket sales/merchandise

The Champions One-Day Cup will serve as the season opener of the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 when the 21-match tournament is played from 1-29 September. Curtains will fall on the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 with the Champions First-Class Cup, which will be held from 28 May to 5 August.

In addition to the eight men’s senior tournaments in the period from August 2024 to September 2025, the PCB will also organise 11 development/pathway tournaments which will be separate to the three Pakistan Shaheens and one Pakistan U19 away series.

This potentially means, the budding and upcoming youngsters are expected to get around 13,000 matches at the schools, colleges, universities, clubs, U15, U17, U19, Regional Inter-District Senior and Challenge League Senior levels across all formats to test their skills, impress their coaches and selectors with their performances, make themselves available for selection in the regional, departmental, franchise and Champions sides and, in the meantime, continue to walk up the ladder in pursuit of their dreams.

Tentative dates of the eight men’s senior tournaments in the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 are (schedules, formats and other details will be announced closer to time):

o      Champions One-Day Cup: 1-29 September (five teams, 21 matches) (new event)

o      President’s Cup (50-over): 3-15 October (nine teams, 19 matches) (seven teams, 24 matches in 2023-24)

o      Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: 20 October-18 December (18 teams, 73 matches) (eight teams, 29 matches in 2023-24)

o      Champions T20 Cup: 21 December -2 January (five teams, 21 matches) (new event)

o      President’s Trophy (first-class): 6 January-7 March (nine teams, 37 matches) (seven teams, 22 matches in 2023-24)

o      National T20 Cup: 13-21 March (18 teams, 35 matches) (18 teams, 63 matches in 2023-24)

o      Pakistan Super League 2025: 10 April-25 May (six teams, 34 matches) (six teams, 34 matches in 2023-24)

o      Champions First-Class Cup: 28 May-5 August (five teams, 21 matches) (new event)

Addressing a news conference in Lahore on Monday along with Waqar Younis, Mohsin Naqvi said “Our current standings - sixth in Tests, fourth in ODIs and seventh in T20Is - do not reflect the true potential and legacy of Pakistan cricket. To restore our rightful place at the top of world cricket, we must innovate and strategically enhance, expand and strengthen our domestic structure. The introduction of the three Champions tournaments is a bold step in this direction.

“The Champions tournaments will bring together our most talented and consistent performers from domestic cricket with our centrally contracted players, creating an environment that mirrors the intensity of international cricket. With broadcast matches, legendary mentors, elite coaching staff and extensive media coverage, these tournaments will provide our players with the exposure and experience they need.

“These tournaments are not just about bridging the gap between domestic and international cricket, they are about revolutionising and rejuvenating our entire cricketing ecosystem. By establishing a clear and progressive pathway from clubs, schools and universities to intra-district, to inter-district, to regional/department competitions, we are nurturing the next generation of cricketing stars.

“The Champions tournaments will offer our players a platform to experience the rigours and pressures of international cricket right here at home. This is crucial for building a robust and highly competitive domestic structure that consistently produces world-class talent.

“I am incredibly optimistic about the future of Pakistan cricket. The investments we are making through the Champions tournaments will pay immense dividends. We are dedicated to identifying, nurturing and preparing our best talent to represent Pakistan on the global stage.”