LAHORE: Around 200 first-class matches will be held in the 2023-24 domestic season of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) against 97 played during the 2022-23 period.

The previous season was held on the six province-based association teams system introduced in August 2019 under a new PCB constitution after the 2014 constitution was suspended.

However, later PCB’s patron-in-chief Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif suspended the 2019 constitution introduced by former PM Imran Khan. Shahbaz then appointed a 13-member Interim Management Committee of the PCB to restore the 2014 constitution. Under this constitution, eight departmental and as many regional associations will play first-class cricket. As the elections at the regional level had almost been completed and many departments had given their assurance to the PCB to restore their cricket teams, the number of first-class games have risen significantly from 97 to 200.

As a result of added number of first-class and non-first class matches for the upcoming season, the PCB has increased the number of match officials in each category and their monthly retainers have been increased by 20 per cent. In addition, the Board has also increased match fees, daily allowances and retirement benefits of match officials by 20 per cent.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2023