PCB targets new talent as school cricket programme expands nationwide

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to expand its school cricket programme nationwide on the direction of Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, aiming to identify and develop new talent from across the country.
The expanded programme will involve around 21,000 students from 1,400 schools across 100 districts this year, with 2,895 matches scheduled as the PCB seeks to widen the pathway for young cricketers to progress to higher levels.

According to a PCB press release, the real significance of these numbers lies not simply in their scale, but in the opportunities they will create for thousands of young players to showcase their abilities, compete and come under the system’s radar. Both government and private schools are participating in the programme, further broadening the reach of school cricket, it added.

PCB has also made a conscious effort to ensure that the search for talent is not limited to traditional cricketing centres, but reaches remote and less-exposed areas of the country. Schools from different regions, from Gilgit to Gwadar, are taking part. The participation of 124 schools from FATA, more than 80 schools from Dera Ismail Khan, as well as young players from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Larkana and other areas, demonstrates that Pakistan’s cricketing talent is not confined to any one city or region.
This year, the programme will not be limited to matches alone. Skills development camps are being conducted across the 1,400 schools, focusing on batting, bowling, fielding and fitness. Experienced regional and district coaches, including former and international cricketers, are playing their part in training and developing the young players.

An important aspect of PCB’s school cricket initiative is to ensure that talented players identified through these competitions have a clear pathway to progress. The journey will move from the district level to the divisional, provincial and ultimately national stages. District league pool matches will be held from September to October, followed by a knockout phase involving 100 teams in November, while the national stage will take place from late November through December. The national final will be played on 5 December.

For a young cricketer, the significance of this journey goes beyond winning a trophy. Players who demonstrate outstanding performances will have opportunities to progress into U15, U17 and U19 cricket, as well as gain access to 16 regional academies and regional cricket.

A schoolboy from a remote district of Pakistan may today be playing only for his school team. But if he possesses the ability, this programme can provide him with the opportunity to be seen, assessed and given a pathway to progress.

The initiatives under the leadership of Mohsin Naqvi to introduce new tournaments at the school level and continuously expand the reach of school cricket are part of a broader effort to identify Pakistan’s emerging talent at an early stage, provide young players with opportunities for training and competitive cricket, and create a clear pathway towards national cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s objective is to ensure that this opportunity is not limited to the major cities, but reaches every child and young player across the country who has the potential to become part of Pakistan’s cricketing future.