Pakistan domestic cricket season to start from September 30, squads confirmed

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced the six cricket sssociation squads for the 2020-21 domestic season, which will commence on September 30 with the National T20 Cup. First round of the event will be played in Multan, while the final round will be held in Rawalpindi, PCB said in a media release.

It further said that the 12-month contracts will run from August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021. The squads were finalised by the six cricket association coaches who took into consideration performances of the last two seasons, retained maximum players from the 2019-20 season without reshuffling the squads too much and, where possible, provided opportunities to the centrally and emerging contracted players to represent their cricket associations.

The selectors have retained 158 players who were offered 2019-20 domestic contracts and have included 34 new players, including some who represented Pakistan in this year's U19 World Cup. Each cricket association squad will comprise 45 players – 32 players with domestic contracts, supported by 13 additional players – and the PCB centrally and emerging contracted cricketers, belonging to their respective regions.

The coaches will finalise the playing lineups for the events proper (National T20 Cup, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and Pakistan Cup One-day Tournament) in due course. Players with the seasonal contracts will be eligible to receive match fee, daily allowances and other related benefits, wherever applicable.

The coaches, who are also members of the national selection committee, have also followed the PCB's policy of investing in the future as average age of the Balochistan side is 27, followed by Central Punjab 26, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 26, Northern 25, Sindh 25 and Southern Punjab 26, stated the PCB media release.

11 teenagers who participated in the U19 World Cup earlier this year, have been selected. They are Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Balochistan); Irfan Khan Niazi, Qasim Akram and Fahad Munir (all three Central Punjab); Mohammad Wasim jnr, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Amir Khan and Mohammad Abbas Afridi (all four Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); Mohammad Huraira (Northern) and Aamir Ali and Arish Ali Khan (Sindh).