Misbah-ul-Haq joins as one of five PCB coaches to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.

While Pakistan looked to stave off a series-opening defeat against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, the PCB’s focus was 300 kilometers south in Lahore. After announcing the five advisers for the Champions Cup, the upcoming series of domestic tournaments starting with the one-day tournament from September 12, the PCB has organized press conferences for them to express their views and, to some extent, clarify their roles.

“The idea is to reduce the gap between domestic and international cricket. I feel it and the players feel it. When I came to the international team, it took three to four years to believe that I am part of international cricket. The idea of ​​international cricket. The mentors are to prepare the players to raise them to that level, to get used to it, this it takes hard work, and it will only happen if we do it.

“As a mentor, my role goes beyond providing guidance from the dugout,” Malik, who works with the Stallions, said in a statement released by the PCB. “I will also enter the field in selected matches to pass on my first-hand knowledge and experience. This will enable our future cricketers to develop their skills and elevate their game, ultimately supporting Pakistan Cricket Board’s efforts to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.”

Although the teams are not geographically compatible, Malik’s pairing with the Stallions is symbolic, given his success as captain of the Sialkot Stallions in the mid-2000s. Malik created one of the first successful T20 dynasties, leading his side to five consecutive domestic titles in the days leading up to the PSL. To a lesser extent, the same goes for Misbah with Wolves, the former Pakistan captain who was a key player in the successful Faisalabad Wolves sides of the early 2000s.

Counselor roles have become increasingly scrutinized for the salaries involved. Each of the five is believed to have a three-year contract, earning a salary of PKR 5 million (about USD 18,000) per month. Those salaries are skyrocketing because they are higher than those paid by all but Pakistan’s top cricketers – the A-tier players, Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan, in the mid-range contract pool. The Champions Cup is yet to announce an official commercial entry. The broadcaster is also not announced. PCB has advertised for team mates/sponsors to enter but has yet to say if any have entered.

The roles are separate from coaching – each side will have a separate coaching set to be announced – and do not require a coaching qualification. Three of the five coaches have served as Pakistan’s head coach in the past and the PCB has not disclosed what metrics the coaches will be evaluated on, or why they believe the money spent will bring a return on investment. In a statement sent to ESPNcricinfo, the PCB said that “as a responsible organization, it never discusses the public salaries of its employees and consultants, which is a matter between employer and employee”.

The stadiums in Lahore and Karachi are currently undergoing major renovations, with minor upgrades planned for Rawalpindi, the cost of which is understood to be in the millions of dollars in Pakistan. This is in line with the most common level of spending since Mohsin Naqvi took over as PCB chairman, with annual income from the ICC doubling in this round of world rights, thanks to the new global association agreement with Disney-Star. However, there will always be concerns about whether the standard of use is effective, especially since the PCB does not receive any public funding for its activities.

“I told the PCB our job is not to save money or keep it collected, but to spend it on cricket, from the grassroots to the national team,” Naqvi said in March, addressing Pakistan’s players. “The money will be spent on training, training and training instead of locking it out.”