PCB mulls splitting domestic one-dayers into four innings

The Pakistan Cricket Board has said it wants to trial one-day matches with two innings for each side during its domestic season.

Sultan Rana, chief of PCB's domestic cricket department, who has also worked for the Asian Cricket Council as a development officer, has backed the idea which was brought into the spotlight earlier this month by Sachin Tendulkar.

"If the International Cricket Council allows its members to experiment with this new format we will definitely be keen to try it out because our domestic structure is tailormade for this new concept," Rana said. "I think it is going to happen soon. Because by splitting one-day games into four innings will basically allow the ICC and other countries to make one-day matches as interesting and popular as Twenty20 matches are now."

David Richardson, the ICC's cricket manager, had said last week that the concept could breathe life into the 50-over format, which has been threatened by the rise of Twenty20s. The idea has its share of critics as well, including legendary allrounders Imran Khan and Kapil Dev, who feel the format of the one-dayer should not be tinkered with.

The England board has already scrapped the domestic Friends Provident Trophy, the only 50-over domestic cricket tournament, in favour of an expanded Twenty20 competition along with a 40-over format. Cricket South Africa are also likely to join the bandwagon as it considers changes to its 45-over competition.

Rana said the PCB will wait for the ICC's green signal before experimenting with the 50-over format. "We will discuss this issue internally and be prepared for it when countries are allowed to try out the new format.," he said. "One has to change with time and I think cricket also has to undergo slight changes with time."