Salman Butt becomes part of PCB's umpiring and match referee curriculum

Former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt has been listed among several cricketers who have taken part in the umpiring and match referee course conducted by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Taking part in this course were Pakistan international cricketers like Abdul Rauf, Bilal Asif, Shoaib Khan, and Salman Butt himself. 

A total of 346 personnel were part of the online level-1 umpiring course which was initiated by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Among those, 49 were cricketers, who appeared for this course for the umpires and match referees, which was held between June 7 and 25. The step of conducting this course was taken by PCB to develop match officials. 

The board has planned to introduce Level 1, 2, and 3 courses for the umpires and match officials. Considering this, the PCB has been stated to have conducted phase 1 of the Level-1 course successfully. The participants during the course had a session of questions and answers and were also given online lectures. 

PCB aims to provide employment opportunities to former cricketers

These lectures extensively covered the basic umpiring rules, regulations, and several laws of the game. The PCB had their Elite and Supplementary Panels of Match Referees conduct the course. According to the report of Cricket Pakistan, in the second phase, the participants will have to undergo written examinations, interviews along with fitness tests, which will test certain aspects of umpiring and also educate them for their further development. 

Several candidates who are part of this course will also get an opportunity to supervise club, school and other matches in their respective City Cricket Associations. This will thereby provide them with a lot of experience before they become a part of the PCB’s elite match officials’ group. 

The Pakistan Cricket Board has stated that it is committed to providing employment opportunities for former cricketers through these kinds of courses. In the report, it was also stated that the board aims to continue providing similar opportunities in the near future. The administration of Pakistan cricket has been working hard to fix some of the inconsistencies in the system, which have had an effect on their development in the past.