LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued notices to the presidents of Sialkot, Gujranwala and Hafizabad districts for not playing their matches in the ongoing PCB Inter-district U-19 tournament, which started across the country on May 1.

The PCB notices have asked the presidents of the said districts to submit their replies about the reasons for not playing the matches, within seven days. If the presidents fail to give satisfactory reply, according to the PCB constitution, ad hoc could be imposed on the three districts.

It is learnt that all the three district presidents were not happy over the age-verification process conducted by the PCB (for the regional inter-district U-19 event) as several of their favourite cricketers were not included in the district teams due to objection of over-age.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Sialkot region president Nauman Butt confirmed that notices had been issued by the PCB, which was the parent body.

He said the Board had deposited Rs120,000 in the accounts of every district body to organise the U-19 tournament in their respective area.

The PCB also handed the districts other equipment needed to hold the event, but all the three presidents were not ready to play the matches.

He said Dr Rehan, a PCB doctor, conducted the age-verification process for the U-19 tournament after which some cricketers were scratched.

Nauman underlined that the PCB was the parent body and therefore all the district bodies were required to follow its rules and regulations.

“By not playing the [U-19 inter-district] mat­ches, the future of several cricketers of these districts was being put at stake,” he maintained.

In four other districts of Sialkot region — Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal and Sheikhupura — the U-19 inter-district matches were being staged as per the schedule, he said.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2016