The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is the sole governing body for the game of cricket in Pakistan, which was established under the Sports (Development and Control) Ordinance 1962 as a body corporate having perpetual succession with exclusive authority for the regulation, administration, management and promotion of the game of cricket in Pakistan.
The PCB operates through its own Constitution, generates its revenues, which are reinvested in the development of cricket. It receives no grants, funds or monies from either the Federal or Provincial Governments, the Consolidated Funds or the Public Exchequer.
The PCB’s mission is to inspire and unify the nation by channelising the passion of the youth, through its winning teams and by providing equal playing opportunities to all.
Over the next five years, the PCB will be focusing on six key priority areas that include establishing sustainable corporate governance, delivering world-class international teams, developing a grassroots and pathways framework, inspiring generations through our women’s game, growing and diversifying commercial revenue streams, and enhancing the global image of Pakistan.
The PCB also remains committed to developing ground and facility cricket infrastructure, monitoring the implementation of playing codes and regulations, and supporting the game at every level through its high quality training provision for officials and coaches.
Inaugural Board of Control
The Pakistan Cricket Board was inaugurated on 1 May 1949 as the Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan (BCCP). The first meeting, held in the committee rooms of Lahore Gymkhana, saw HE The Nawab of Mamdot made president and chairman, with Justice A. R. Cornelius as one of three vice-Presidents. The following year Cornelius became chairman of the working committee, until he relinquished his connection with the board in early 1953.
The working chairman was always one of the three vice-presidents. In April 1957 Ayub Khan imposed three more new vice-presidents (himself being one of them). Then between December 1958 and September 1969 the post of vice-president disappeared.
Committees
The response to turmoil within the board has on four occasions been to suspend the rules and appoint an ad hoc committee. The first ad hoc committee was appointed in September 1960 and did not disband until May 1963 having created a new constitution. The President of Pakistan would now nominate the board president who would in turn nominate the other members of the Executive Committee to sit for a period of three years. Representatives of the four provincial cricket associations and Government departments formed the Executive Committee.
The BCCP was re-organised in the 1970s and was headed by former cricketers, professional administrators and trustees, who were often businessmen. In November 1976 players’ demands for increased salaries reached a crisis and the Pakistan Sports Board took over running the B.C.C.P.’s affairs. Long-serving president, the formidable Kardar, was in the thick of the dispute. The revolt against Kardar forced him to resign in May 1977 and led to a new Ad Hoc Committee replacing the Board Council in 1978 running Pakistan cricket and again changing the constitution. Provincial Cricket Associations were eliminated and divisional and city CAs became members, giving most of the influence to the city Cricket Association of Lahore and Karachi.
The Board now governed a network of teams sponsored by corporations and banks, city associations and clubs. There is no province-based official team type organisation of domestic cricket in Pakistan and Lahore and Karachi cities are the two top tiers of all cricket, including reservoirs of fresh talent.
Pakistan cricket was involved by dissension and controversies over the national team’s poor performance during the tour of India and a public uproar forced the end of the Ad Hoc Committee. The chairman and team captain Asif Iqbal had to step down. Air Marshal Nur Khan now became chairman and he saw the banks and other organisations increase their participation on the Board Council in the face of protests from the zonal organisations.
A third ad hoc committee under Javed Burki took charge of BCCP affairs in January 1994 and made a new constitution including giving a new name, the Pakistan Cricket Board (P.C.B.) It introduced a chairman and chief executive.
After taking heavy criticism on the grounds of corruption and match fixing, the Board was taken over by a fourth Ad Hoc Committee formed on 17 July 1999 which remains in place despite undertakings from Musharraf to bring it to an end. The Pakistan Cricket Board re-emerged by taking the initiative to sponsor the hugely successful 2004 tour of Pakistan by their rivals India. The Pakistan Cricket Board has competed and has associated itself with the Twenty20 cricket form and has also proven popular and hopes to similarly revive popular interest in domestic games. However, Pakistan’s early exit from the 2007 World Cup cast a shadow and later Dr. Nasim Ashraf’s resigned at the end of 2008.
Ejaz Butt was named the PCB Chairman in October 2008. Zaka Ashraf took over from Butt in October 2011.
On 28 May 2013, Zaka Ashraf was suspended as PCB Chairman by Islamabad High Court due to a dubious election. The newly sworn in Government of Nawaz Sharif named Najam Sethi as acting PCB Chairman. On 15 October 2013, the governing council of the Pakistan Cricket Board was dissolved by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, and an interim five man management committee was named consisting of acting chairman Najam Sethi‚ Shahryar Khan, two former players (Zaheer Abbas and Haroon Rasheed, and former team manager Naveed Cheema.
On 15 January 2014, Zaka Ashraf was reinstated as PCB Chairman. The PML-N Government was unhappy with the reinstatement (since Ashraf was a PPP appointee), and this led to Ashraf’s sacking. In February, PCB Governing Board was dissolved and an eight-member management committee (comprising Shakil Sheikh, Shaharyar Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Iqbal Qasim, Naveed Akram Cheema, Yusaf Naseem Khokar and Faridullah Khan, the secretary IPC). Najam Sethi was elected as chairman by the management committee.
Domestic Cricket
The most important domestic cricket tournaments in Pakistan include: