LAHORE: A cricket committee has been constituted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Governing Board to assist and advise the chairman in relation to plans for promotion and conduct of game at all levels. The committee will be chaired by former Pakistan opener and head coach Mohsin Hasan Khan while other members include former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram and Misbahul Haq and former women’s captain and selector Urooj Mumtaz. The committee’s terms of reference includes formulating playing conditions for domestic matches, overseeing appointment of selection committees and national team coaches and meeting with chief selector and coach (men, women and junior) three times a year. The committee will also be responsible for reviewing plans for the development of umpires, referees and curators, receiving annual assessment of performance from management on umpires and referees, assessing quality of pitches, keeping a check on the condition of playing facilities (dressing rooms, practice facilities including net wickets) and giving views on any other matter referred by the PCB chairman. Speaking on this occasion on Friday, Mohsin Khan said that the committee would try to work for the betterment of Pakistan cricket while also ensuring that there was not favouritism. “We will work on the basis of merit and ensure that there is no element of favouritism in our work,” he said. Mohsin also responded to a question about his stance on the Justice Qayyum Report – released in May 2000 regarding match-fixing – and the players named in it. “During meeting with the PCB chairman I shared my reservations over Justice Qayyum Report but he told me that report wasn’t authentic and no decision was later made,” he said. Meanwhile, Wasim Akram stressed on the need of improving domestic cricket. “I will try to utilise the experience I have gained from coaching and managerial work in the past 7-8 years,” he said. “We have to improve our domestic cricket by focusing on quality rather than quantity. We also have to educate players regarding how to handle media.” Misbah also expressed his concerns about domestic cricket. “I’m currently playing domestic cricket which gives me enough insight on the problems faced by players. I will highlight those as it’s a good opportunity for me to serve Pakistan cricket,” he said. Former cricketers Mudassar Nazar, Haroon Rasheed, and Zakir Khan will assist the committee in carrying out its functions. Zakir Khan will serve as director international cricket, Haroon Rasheed will act as director domestic cricket, while Mudassar Nazar will perform duties as director academies. Published in Daily Times, October 27th 2018.