LAHORE: Ninety-three teams involving 1800 cricketers will be participating in the Inter-city Cricket Championship at their respective association level, to be held across the country from July 5 to Aug 6.

“Ninety-three sides will be in action across the country in the city cricket association tournament 2021-22 from July 5 to Aug 6, which will provide a pathway to around 1,800 cricketers to graduate to the cricket association tournaments that include first-class, non-first-class three-day, 50-over and 20-over competitions,” a PCB press release stated on Saturday.

“According to the event format, each match will be of two days with 100 overs to be bowled each day in seven hours and 20 minutes of play with a two-hour break from 1200-1400. To encourage result-oriented cricket, an innings will be limited to 75 overs per side and no bowler shall bowl more than 15 overs in an innings.

“Each city association, depending on the number of cities in that association, will be split into groups with each cricket association to ultimately have a champion.

“Balochistan comprises 13 city associations, Central Punjab 16, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 19, Northern 11, Sindh 17 and Southern Punjab 14.”

The monsoon season also falling in July-August may create problems in completing the matches with a result as most of the matches will be decided on the first-innings lead.

Meanwhile, the PCB has restored the six teams of the Lahore City. In its new constitution implemented on Aug 19, 2019, the six-team quota of Lahore has been reduced to only three. But now each of the three zones — East, West and North — of Lahore City are fielding two teams each.

At the end of the two-day matches, a triangular round at all six associations will also be held among the toppers and runners-up of each city. That round will also be of two-day matches.

However, and as per past practice, the three Lahore Zones will have two sides each, which takes the grand total of sides participating in the event to 93.

“As part of its strategy to encourage, attract and reward cricketers, the PCB, for the first time at this level, will be offering match fees to the cricketers,” read the release.

“Balochistan, Northern and Southern Punjab CCAs have been split into two groups each with the group leaders to progress to the final.

“In contrast, Central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh CCAs will be divided into three groups each with group leaders to progress to the triangular series stage and the side with most points to be adjudged as the winner,” added the PCB release.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2021