PCB postpones National Junior Championship due to 'unavoidable circumstances' one day post its commencement

A day post the initiation of the National Junior Championship, a U-19 tournament organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the participants and officials were informed of its postponement.

The PCB disseminated the reason for taking the abrupt call, citing the postponement to be attributed “due to unavoidable circumstances” in a short press release. Quite a large chunk of money had been put in for assembling the participants. 

A confidant of the governing body disclosed that the undefined delay was related to fake documentation being the root cause of there being issues in the selection of teams as well as several age frauds being committed, something which the chairperson of the PCB, Mohsin Naqvi, was apprised of. The insider also revealed that some of those allegations turned out to be legitimate.

Also Read: 'You will be able to play only 50 overs in Test cricket' - Danish Kaneria blasts PCB for organising Champions One-Day Cup

“The junior tournament is considered the backbone for producing the right talent for first-class cricket and international exposure by the board which is why despite a long process of selection, Mohsin Naqvi was disturbed when he received a number of complaints, some of which were authenticated to be correct,” stated the representative, as quoted by News18.

The PCB had disbursed funds on training camps for all the 18 teams, while also providing them foods, accommodation and transport facilities besides kits and daily allowances, all of which supposedly amounted to millions of rupees.

The selection of the players was adminstered by the regional coaches who were delegated by the PCB, while the board’s representative and president of the said region were also an integral component of the selection panel.

Also Read: India, Pakistan players to play in same team as Afro-Asia Cup likely to be revived

Champions One-Day Cup 2024 continues to face flak

The postponement of the National Junior Championship does not come in isolation, with the PCB also delaying the national women’s U-19 tournament, which was originally scheduled to commence on September 16, 2024.

The PCB has been under the pump on other fronts already, with the primary one at the moment being the topic surrounding the conduction of the Champions One-Day Cup 2024, with former cricketers, Ahmed Shehzad and Danish Kaneria, coming hard at the PCB for not prioritizing Test cricket and the development of fresh strategies following an embarrassing defeat at home against Bangladesh.

The aforementioned tournament will begin today, with the final being played on September 19, 2024.