Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to add Test coach Jason Gillespie to the selection committee. This means, red-ball and white-ball coaches - Gillespie and Gary Kirsten both will now take decisions related to selections. However, it is still not clear whether they will be responsible for relevant format selections or all three formats. Meanwhile, amidst confusion around NOC for overseas T20 leagues, the board has also made playing domestic cricket compulsory for the players.
PCB has not officially made the announcement yet but ESPNCricinfo has reported that the board is considering making quite a few changes, including the aforementioned ones, to the nature of international cricketers' obligation to Pakistan cricket. The central contracts are set to be reduced to one year after three-year contracts were announced last year. However, the remuneration of the players will not be reduced for now.
It is expected that a specific number of domestic matches will be made mandatory for the international players to feature in. As far as Gillespie being added to the selection committee is concerned, his role will be crucial now in Pakistan cricket with the team scheduled to play a host of Test matches during the home season.
Pakistan will host Bangladesh for two Tests, England for three Tests and West Indies for two Tests during the 2024-25 home season. Ahead of the grand home season which will also see them host the Champions Trophy that is likely to be played from February 19 to March 9 next year, PCB has officially appointed Australia's Tony Hemming as the head curator on a two-year contract.
Meanwhile, there is a lot of unrest among players regarding not getting NOC to play in overseas T20 leagues. Naseem Shah was refused an NOC to play in The Hundred after securing a contract worth GBP 125,000. The likes of Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam are set to feature in Global T20 Canada but even they aren't likely to get NOCs from the board according to reports.
