LAHORE: The regional cricket associations of the country have also rejected the new hybrid formula of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), under which the affiliated departments of the PCB will sponsor the regions instead of fielding their own teams in the domestic cricket.

The affiliated departments had earlier rejected the formula, leaving the PCB Task Force headed by retired Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain, which presented the formula, in a tricky situation.

The meeting of the task force with all the 16 regional representatives was held at the Wapda House and continued late on Thursday night. It is the same venue, where the departmental representatives had also rejected the formula earlier this month.

The task force was made as Prime Minister Imran Khan, the cricket legend who has been against the role of departments in the domestic game. Imran handed over the PCB chairmanship to Ehsan Mani after being elected as the country’s premier. Mani will now have to convince the prime minister on the failure in the first attempt to introduce the hybrid formula.

“There are problems over the power-sharing between the region and its sponsored department,” sources told Dawn.
No one is ready to give up the powers in the matters like selection of the teams, appointment of the coaches.”

Under the current circumstances it seems the existing domestic season will be retained at least for the year 2018-19.

The task force has finalised the names of the 16 departments which will sponsor 16 regions of the country. Eight top regions have to play the first-class cricket while remaining eight the Grade-II cricket.

“There are still chances for a consensus between the departments and regions, if a balanced power-sharing formula will be presented before the regions,” sources said.

“All the regional representatives have rejected the hybrid formula unanimously like the departments done with it in the past. The meeting with the task force was held in very pleasant atmosphere and almost all the regions expressed their concerns over the formula.”

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2019