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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would undergo major changes over the next few weeks in a bid to mould itself into an efficient, corporate body.

Dr Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, said here on Sunday that the Board has received a comprehensive document from a reputed firm with suggestions on restructuring which would be implemented next month according to the guidelines set by a new constitution.

“We are hoping to receive the new PCB constitution from the Patron (President Pervez Musharraf) by December 31 and are planning to restructure the Board on modern lines according to the new constitution,” he said after a meeting of the PCB ad-hoc committee held at the National Stadium.

The PCB prepared the draft of its new constitution a few weeks back and the document is currently in the President’s office waiting for Musharraf’s approval.

Ashraf said that the PCB, meanwhile, has planned to launch a few new projects including a full-fledged pension scheme for retired Test cricketers.

According to the scheme, Test players who retired before Australian tycoon Kerry Packer introduced big pays international cricketers in 1978 would be given a monthly pension.

Players with 20 Tests or more would Rs 25,000 monthly. Cricketers who played 10-19 Tests would get Rs 20,000 while the ones who played up to ten Tests would get Rs 15,000. In case of death, the pensions would be given to the cricketers’ widows.

Ashraf said that the PCB is also chalking out a pension plan for current cricketers. A committee headed by Moeen Afzal, a retired bureaucrat, would meet today in Karachi to prepare a blueprint for the project.

The meeting would be held at the office of Syed Ali Raza, President of the National Bank of Pakistan. Raza and Salim Altaf, PCB Director, are the members of the committee.

Ashraf said that the PCB has also decided to empower local associations by providing them with extra funds. He said that starting from the recently-concluded home series against the West Indies, all revenues generated through gate money from international matches would be given to the host association.

In the past the host association used to get 50 percent of the share while the remaining part went to the PCB.

He said that the host associations would get their share of revues following the next Board meeting to be held in Lahore on January 11.

Ashraf said that the PCB is also making efforts to add glamour to its otherwise dull domestic cricket and would soon sign a long-term agreement with a television channel for the telecast of local games. He said that three leading TV channels including GEO made presentations during the ad-hoc committee meeting.

Ashraf said that after due process, the PCB would sign a partnership with either of the channels for the domestic circuit.

The PCB chief said that ahead of the next home series against South Africa next September, all major cricket venues in the country would be equipped with digital screens and scoreboards. He said that the PCB is negotiating with three foreign companies over digital screens and would soon sign a deal in this regard.

He said that the PCB has formed a committee to investigate the failure of floodlights at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore during the third one-dayer against the West Indies earlier this month.
Source:The News