LAHORE: Pakistan’s domestic cricket structure continued to strengthen in 2025 with a clear focus on youth development and performance-based progression, claimed Director Domestic Cricket Operations Abdullah Khurram Niazi while reviewing the year.
Though the PCB’s domestic cricket framework showed visible growth and structural clarity in 2025 as explained by Niazi, the year also highlighted areas that require deeper attention to ensure long-term sustainability rather than short-term momentum.
Reflecting on key initiatives, Niazi mentioned that 2025 marked a landmark year for youth cricket. “For the first time, school cricket was introduced across Pakistan and played on different tiers,” he said, explaining that the pathway now connects school cricket at U15 to U17 levels to U19, first-class cricket, Pakistan Shaheens and ultimately the national team. “Our entire pyramid is connected with purpose and clarity.”
The introduction of school cricket nationwide and the creation of a clearly defined route from U15 to the national team has been widely welcomed. However, cricket observers note that uniform implementation across provinces remains uneven. In several underdeveloped regions, a lack of trained coaches, proper grounds and regular fixtures has limited the full impact of school and age-group cricket, raising questions about accessibility beyond major urban centres.
National-level tournaments for age-group were complemented by training camps, while senior cricket saw active club competitions, successful inter-district events, Hanif Mohammad Trophy, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and departmental tournaments, with over 28 departments participating at Grade-II level.
The Director Domestic said the shift to a performance-based system, aligned with Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi’s vision, delivered encouraging results. “We have moved away from a culture-based system towards performance and the response has been very positive.”
Similarly, the shift from a culture-based to a performance-driven system marks a positive philosophical change, yet critics argue that performance metrics must be consistently applied. Instances where departmental or regional influence still affects selection decisions risk undermining confidence in the merit-based model the PCB aims to promote.
The expansion of domestic tournaments and the participation of over 28 departments at Grade-II level underlined healthy competition, but scheduling congestion and player workload emerged as concerns. Players juggling club, departmental and age-group commitments often faced fatigue, highlighting the need for better calendar coordination and sports science support.
He also termed live-streaming and broadcast of domestic competitions a breakthrough. “For the first time, key domestic tournaments were live-streamed, allowing stakeholders to closely monitor player quality.”
Live-streaming of domestic competitions was one of the most significant breakthroughs of the year, enhancing transparency and exposure. However, analysts suggest that broadcast quality, commentary depth and analytical coverage must improve to truly elevate domestic cricket’s profile and attract sponsors, fans and talent scouts.
