Cricket analysts and former cricketers who speak positively and constructively about Pakistan cricket are as rare as salt in flour. If, by chance, you happen to meet an officer in the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) who enjoys good perks and a high-ranking position, and they agree to talk to you for a few minutes, one thing is certain: they will definitely complain and moan.

Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi served as the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab with such swiftness that he earned the nickname “Mohsin Speed.” But as the saying goes, using the same method for every task can backfire – and perhaps it’s not wrong to say so. Mohsin Naqvi is the second journalist after Najam Aziz Sethi to reach the highest position in the PCB as Chairman. However, he still has to prove that he was not the wrong choice for this role. Even if he does prove it, how many PCB chairmen in our country have ever been held accountable in a court of justice? So let’s leave that discussion for another time.

The title of today’s edition of our “Score Column” is: “The Other Name for the Laboratory is PCB.”

Believe me, after a great deal of thought, I am carefully stringing together these words for this title. The situation is delicate for both our country and our cricket team. One fundamental difference is that while the country is burdened by mounting debt and is forced to stretch its hand to the IMF, the cricket board of this debt-ridden nation is not going bankrupt – thanks to billions in revenue from the International Cricket Council. However, there are serious concerns regarding its direction and future.

One of the biggest issues with our cricket board is the high-ranking officers surrounding the PCB chairman. Every new chairman is welcomed by these officers in such a manner as if the board would have collapsed without him. Then, these very officers create an environment of flattery around the chairman, so much so that vision takes a back seat, and the chairman sinks into a sea of delusion, unable to see the realities on the surface.

A few months ago, PCB Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi held a press conference with former national Test captain and current PCB mentor Waqar Younis, along with ex-Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer. During the discussion on three new Champions tournaments in the domestic calendar, the chairman confidently declared that they would be made part of the PCB constitution to ensure their continuity. However, no journalist asked him the obvious question:

Hasn’t the board’s constitution already been amended several times in the last 30 years?
It seems every new chairman sees launching new tournaments or experimenting in first-class cricket as a fight for Pakistan cricket’s survival – or perhaps he’s guided down that path by his officers. I don't believe in making claims without evidence, so here are some facts: Najam Sethi successfully introduced the PSL in 2016; in 2019, Ehsan Mani forcefully implemented a six-team domestic format; in 2022, Ramiz Raja launched the failed Junior Cricket League; and though time didn’t allow Zaka Ashraf to do much, he was on the verge of approving a T10 league.

The new, packed domestic season announced by Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi began on September 1, 2024, and concluded on August 5, 2025. The PCB defends this year-long format by claiming it reduces the gap between domestic and international cricket, creates a high-pressure environment, and offers attractive compensation to future stars.

Now, the board has made its decision – but we cannot move forward in this system without asking some basic questions.
The first and most important one:

What is the justification for a Champions First-Class Tournament after the country’s top tournament, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy?
In the past, there has already been much tampering with the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy – sometimes departments and associations played together, sometimes separately. Now, the Champions Tournament has been placed alongside it.

Another critical question: After the successful establishment of the Pakistan Super League as a brand, are we not damaging our own product by launching another Champions T20? Admittedly, the idea of a Champions One Day Cup seems more appropriate.

Yes, it’s true that we are giving “A” category players a salary of 500,000 rupees per month, which is excellent. But we are also keeping them busy year-round. That means they earn 6 million rupees a year from the board. However, if that player misses out on leagues or club cricket due to this, and after tax deductions and expenses, they might not even be able to buy a Honda car with the board’s compensation.