LAHORE, Dec 23: Expanding the umbrella for retired Test cricketers, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Governing Board took a significant decision on Thursday, including all Test players in the pension scheme upon reaching the age of 60 years.

Earlier, the scheme was confined to those Test cricketers who had retired until 1978. Whereas some individual Test cricketers, who quit after 1978, were also getting a stipend after receiving special permission from the authorities concerned.

However, after Thursday’s decision taken at the meeting, all Test cricketers will get this benefit automatically after reaching the age of superannuation.

Moreover, the Governing Board also decided to raise the amount of monthly stipend, without specifying the increase. Currently, the PCB is paying Rs20,000 per month to each eligible Test cricketer.

“The GB also held a detailed review of PCB’s welfare policy for former Pakistan players. It was decided that the stipend paid out by the PCB to Pakistan’s ex-Test players upon reaching the age of 60 years will be increased,” said a PCB news release, issued after the decision was taken in the 18th Governing Board meeting here on Thursday.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that those cricketers, who had played more than 21 Test matches will fall in the ‘A’ category of the stipend, the veterans of 11-20 Tests will be included in the ‘B’ category while those who featured in 10 or less than 10 matches will be included in the ‘C’ category.

Commenting on GB’s step of covering all former Test players of the country in the pension scheme, Chairman PCB Ijaz Butt said: “We are extremely grateful to the Governing Board for approving this measure for the benefit of our former Test cricketers.

“Our players are our national assets and this decision by the Governing Board will send a positive message to all our former players that the PCB values the services that they have given to Pakistan.”

Meanwhile, the GB also decided to call first-ever general body meeting some time during the first quarter of 2011. The meeting was due since the existing PCB constitution is in operation from 2007.

The Governing Board also gave post facto approval to the terms of reference for the PCB’s ‘Integrity Committee’, which is currently investigating fixing suspicions about Test cricketers Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik and Danish Kaneria.

“As per Clause 35 of the PCB Constitution the GB approved the names of Justice (r) Mohammad Sayeed Akhtar and Justice (r) Fazal-e-Miran Chohan to be added to the Panel of Independent Arbitrators. It may be noted that Justice (r) Irfan Qadir, Justice (r) Jamshed Ali Shah and Justice (r) Munir A. Sheikh are the three names already on the PCB panel of Arbitrators,” it was also

decided.

The GB also approved the audited accounts for the year ended 2010.

Besides PCB chief Ijaz Butt, PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed and Chief Financial Officer Mian Raza Ahmed, those Governing Board members who attended the meeting include Javed Miandad, Haider Ali Khan Talpur, Syed Naeem Akhtar Gilani, Amir Nawab, Chaudhry Mohammad Anwar and Naveed Akram Cheema.

Tariq Baloch, a Governing Board member, was unable to attend the meeting as he is out of the country while Intikhab Alam and Wazir Ali Khoja were not present due their other professional assignments.