The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its panel of match officials for the upcoming 2023-24 cricket season. The new season will witness the return of regional and departmental cricket after a four-year hiatus, resulting in a significant increase in the number of matches. While the previous season saw 97 First XI matches, the restoration of the PCB Constitution 2014 will lead to approximately 200 First XI matches in the upcoming season.
Increased Number of Officials to Accommodate Expansion of Domestic Cricket
To accommodate the expanded requirements, the PCB has increased the number of match officials in each category. This decision aims to provide more opportunities for match officials within the current system and enhance their earning potential. The monthly retainers of the elite and supplementary panels have been raised by 20 percent, along with a 20 percent increase in match fees, daily allowances, and retirement benefits for the officials.
Elite Panel of Match Officials
- Aleem Khan Moosa
- Athar Laiq
- Bilal Khiljee
- Kamran Chaudhry
- Khalid Jamshed
- Mohammad Aslam
- Sohail Idrees
Elite Panel of Umpires
- Abdul Moqeet
- Aslam Bareach
- Farooq Ali Khan
- Ghulam Sarwar
- Imranullah Aslam
- Kashif Sohail
- Majid Hussain
- Qaiser Khan
- Zulfiqar Jan
Supplementary Panel of Match Officials
- Abu-al-Hasnat Rao
- Allah Ditto
- Fazal Akbar Shah
- Ghulam Mustafa
- Inamullah Khan
- Muhammad Amiruddin Ansari
- Samiul Haq
- Sohail Khan
- Saman Zulfiqar (first women’s match referee)
Women’s Panel of Umpires
- Afia Amin
- Humairah Farah
- Nazia Nazir
- Riffat Mustafa
- Sabahat Rasheed
- Saleema Imtiaz
- Shakila Rafiq
International Panel of Match Officials
- Aleem Dar
- Asif Yaqoob
- Rashid Riaz Waqar
- Faisal Khan Afridi
- Muhammad Javed Malik
- Ali Naqvi
Selection Process
The selection of match officials for the 2023-24 panel was made by a PCB group, which reviewed the performances of the officials from the previous season. The group comprised Shakil Ahmed Shaikh (Chair – Domestic Restructuring Committee), Aizad Syed (Acting Director – Academies), Haroon Rashid (Chair – Selection Committee and Acting Director – Domestic Cricket), Saqib Irfan (Senior Manager – Domestic Cricket), Bilal Qureshi (Manager – Umpires & Referees), and Abdul Hameed (Assistant Manager – Umpires and Referees).
The PCB’s announcement of the panel of match officials for the 2023-24 cricket season reflects the board’s commitment to facilitating the return of regional and departmental cricket. The increase in the number of officials, along with improved financial incentives, aims to provide more opportunities for match officials and ensure the smooth conduct of matches across various categories, including women’s cricket.
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