LAHORE: The long-awaited Annual General Body meeting of the Pakistan Cricket Board finally took place after four years on Monday, attended by only three members out of nine and saw PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja announce rewards of PKR 1million each for the Pakistan blind and deaf cricket teams.

Ramiz, Pakistan Blind Cricket Council chairman Syed Sultan Shah and Pakistan Deaf Cricket Association president Irfan Miraj attended the meeting with the other six members — supposed to be the president of the all six provincial cricket associations — not in attendance as they haven’t been elected yet.

The requisite form for the meeting was completed in January but still the meeting — which is supposed to happen every year — was further delayed because of slow pace work on revamping the domestic election system. The members of the general body were reduced to nine from 100 in the PCB constitution implemented in 2019.

The General Body expressed their views on the audited accounts and PCB annual report and received a briefing on the steps and measures being taken to bolster Pakistan cricket’s foundations by strengthening grassroots cricket.

“The body was also updated on the busy 2022-23 season for the men’s side that includes tour to Sri Lanka, ACC T20 Asia Cup, tour of Netherlands for three ODIs and Australia for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in October. The subsequent home series includes split tours by England and New Zealand, while the West Indies will return for three T20Is in January/February 2023,” a news release stated.

“The women’s side will feature in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and T20 World Cups in South Africa, while their ICC Women’s Championship fixtures will be against Ireland at home and away in Australia.

While Ramiz chaired the meeting, PCB chief executive Faisal Hasnain and chief operating officer Barrister Salman Naseer also attended the meeting as ex-officio members.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2022