The Pakistan Cricket Board has made a fitness test every three months mandatory for national players as part of its major overhaul of the game’s structure.

“Participation in domestic cricket is now compulsory for players, with the selection committee finalising the criterion for participation in the domestic cricket,” the PCB said in a statement on Monday.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi called for “major surgery” after the national side’s lacklustre performance in the T20 World Cup match against India.

The Green Shirts performance was below par in the mega event, leaving fans disappointed back home and in the USA.

It was a “three-hour-long meeting” where Naqvi, along with head coaches and selectors, reviewed proposals for cricket improvement at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore.

The PCB has inducted White ball Head Coach Gary Kirsten and Red ball Head Coach Jason Gillespie into the selection committee.

But the board did not reduce the remuneration in the central contract of the national players—a concern many fans showed after the team’s consistent dismal performance in the mega-events.

“The duration of the central contract will be one year, and it will be reviewed annually based on players’ performance and fitness,” the PCB said and added that players’ inclusion in various categories of the central contract would follow a “defined procedure.”

Moreover, a technical method for issuing no objection certificates (NOCs) for playing in leagues would be established and players meeting the criteria would be granted NOCs.

“Players who meet the standards of fitness and performance will be given the opportunity to progress,” it said.

“There will be zero tolerance for indiscipline, and any player violating discipline will face strict action. Team unity and harmony are paramount, and players engaging in infighting will not be spared. The management is instructed to take stringent action against any such behaviour,” Naqvi said.

The board chairman has called for an upgrade plan for high-performance centres and an enhancement in the training methods of coaches. He also announced the establishment of high-performance centres in Islamabad and Peshawar, with Kirsten and Gillespie tasked with presenting a final report on the matter.

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The board issued instructions to appoint separate coaches for the Shaheens and Under-19 teams and to develop a comprehensive programme for regular tournaments. The high-performance centres director has been tasked with improving the women’s cricket team performance and skills and reviewing their central contracts. A review of men’s domestic contracts has been entrusted to Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, Usman Wahla, and Nadeem Khan.

Naqvi has directed “immediate action” to enhance the quality of pitches and stressed the importance of investing in new talent to produce outstanding players. He expressed full confidence in Kirsten and Gillespie, granting them “complete autonomy and expecting excellent results from them.”