PCB taking major steps to overhaul cricket in the country by introducing the concept of ‘connection camps’ in the next meet.
The main focus is to restore the reputation of Pakistan Cricket which has taken a beating in recent times.
The connection camp will see Mohsin Naqvi, Gary Kirsten, and Jason Gillespie getting invites. Pakistan Test skipper Shan Masood and Babar Azam are also expected to attend.
The aim is to make a structural change in the way cricket is played in the country, which includes grassroots level too. The board hopes that the changes will be a timely one to stop the rot in Pakistan cricket.
PCB’s latest initiative is once again the brainchild of chairman Naqvi.
PCB taking major steps is equivalent to ECB in 2015 where they took similar steps after their exit from the World Cup.
It is not understood to be designed around specific, short-term concerns like captaincy or changes in the team. The magnitude is expected to be a much more ambitious scheme.
The specifics around achieving that are less clear, but Naqvi believes the connection camp is the first step.
It is understandable why the PCB finds the connection to the England review appealing. Its rapid success was exemplified by a series it played against New Zealand right after that terrible World Cup, which showed just how rapidly things might turn around.
One significant challenge is the quality of talent Pakistan can draw from, and that is a huge problem to tackle. Naqvi acknowledged Pakistan’s reserves of talent were worryingly low, dampening the prospect of a quick reversal.
There is recognition that such discussions and meetings will be greeted by skepticism from majority of the fanbase. However, PCB is hopeful that this is the first step to bridge that gap and gain trust of the fans.