PCB receives good response from departments as old domestic structure set to be restored.

LAHORE -- Pakistan's domestic cricket structure based on departments and regions will be restored by Feb 15, for which the interim Management Committee (MC) of the Pakistan Cricket Board has devised a plan besides preparing the schedule of activities starting with the national U-13 event, a PCB official told Dawn.

'The work on the domestic structure is in progress on a fast track. The PCB has received good response from several departments which have shown interest to restore their cricket teams; in this regard Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) has also announced that the trials to select its team will be held on Jan 24 in Islamabad,' Shakil Sheikh, one of the key members of the 14-member PCB Management Committee, exclusively told Dawn on Wednesday.

'Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Wapda and KRL have also contacted the PCB and are ready to restore their [cricket] teams. Moreover, there are strong chances that United Bank Limited (UBL) will also return to the game as their authorities have also shown enthusiasm to restore their cricket team, which they had abolished several years ago,' Shakil revealed.

'Overall, more than 25 departments are showing interest to restore their teams for Grade-I and Grade-II cricket.

'Furthermore, a proposal is being considered, to ask the departments to form their [own] under-19 teams. This will enable these departments to provide a professional platform to young cricketers which will help in producing more polished players for the national team in future,' said Shakil, the former head of the PCB Cricket Committee.

'All the [related]...