Pakistan Cricket to step up focus on Pak A and junior team programs for players’ exposure

The Pakistan Cricket Board announced that the Pakistan Shaheens would play a return series of four-day and one-day matches against Bangladesh A, besides hosting Sri Lanka A this year.

Representative Image: Pakistan will also defend the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup title in October, while the its U-19 team will feature in a U-19 50-over Tri-Nation Tournament and ACC Asia Cup U-19 in November/December. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K/The Hindu

Following the footsteps of other leading cricket nations, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also begun stressing about providing exposure to its backup players through its national A and junior team programs.

The PCB announced on Tuesday that the Pakistan Shaheens would play a return series of four-day and one-day matches against Bangladesh A, besides hosting Sri Lanka A this year.

“The idea is to revive pathway cricket projects so that our backup talent is constantly getting exposure of international cricket against other sides besides domestic cricket,” a board official said.

Pakistan Shaheens will play two four-day games against Bangladesh A at home in August and three 50-over fixtures on August 23, 25 and 27.

Incidentally, the Bangladesh national team will be in Pakistan in August to play two ICC World Test Championship matches in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

In November, Sri Lanka A will visit Pakistan for five matches against Pakistan Shaheens. The four-dayers will be played from November 11-14 and November 18-21, while the 50-over clashes will happen on November 25, 27 and 29. Venues will be announced in due course.

Pakistan will also defend the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup title in October, while the its U-19 team will feature in a U-19 50-over Tri-Nation Tournament and ACC Asia Cup U-19 in November/December.

According to a source, the PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, stressed about arranging matches against other teams for the Pakistan A and junior outfits after the disappointing show in the T20 World Cup.

“When the PCB Chairman held meetings with the Pakistan team coaches, Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillispie and the national selectors, they unanimously decided Pakistan’s backup talent required to play regular games like other teams do including India, England, Australia etc,” he said.

Pakistan Shaheens are presently in Darwin to play two four-day games against Bangladesh A and won the opening tie on Monday. They will also play white ball matches.