The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced to launch talent hunt program for the budding school and college cricketers to hone cricketing skills of young boys and girls under the eagle eye of PCB coaches.
The pathway program has been envisaged to promote cricket at grassroot level and discover new talent by providing opportunities to around 10,000 cricketers instead of engaging 360 student who appeared for trials in one region in the past. The program will also provide equal opportunities to girls as well.
The talented cricket will attend the camp after being picked from the school team and, later, they will be considered for the U 15 and U 17 teams.
This was stated by the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sumair Ahmed Syed during a hurriedly called press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Saturday. Spokesperson PCB Amir Mir, Senior General Manager Domestic Cricket Junaid Zia and Head Women Cricket Rafia Haider accompanied the COO PCB on the occasion.
The PCB has developed a portal and the school and college administration could get their budding cricketers registered between April 10 and May 10, 2025. The PCB will hold a tournament between September and November 2025 after the best talent emerges from the local level. A 40-over match tournament will be conducted with the top three teams to be rewarded by the PCB. The PCB will bear the expenses while sponsors will also be invited to support the school and colleges. The semi-final and final will be broadcast live by the PCB.
Sumair Syed said that the players picked from this talent hunt program will serve the U 19 and other age group categories for the future.
Amir Mir, who is also Advisor to Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi, said the mass talent hunt program is in line with the vision of Mohsin Naqvi who wants the talented youth of Pakistan to realize their dream of wearing the national colours.
Amir Mir further elaborated that the program has been inspired by England, Australian and New Zealand cricket where children are introduced to cricket at an early age which harnesses skills and keeps them fit in the later years as compared to without cricketers.
Rafia Haider said that inter-collegiate tournaments for girls will be conducted all over the country and the registered girl cricketers will attend the camps under PCB.
PCB COO said that school and college cricket was on the decline and the program may be translated as an outreach program to introduce cricket at the grassroots level while Junaid Zia said that the program aims to bring an end to the age group’s existing trials system at the U15, U 17 levels and scout talent through a transparent pathway process.
Sumair Syed maintained that the program will not replace school and college cricket but expand the base for new talent and introduce structured cricket.
PCB initiates talent hunt program for budding school, college cricketers
