Tony Hemming Resigns as PCB Chief Curator After 13 Months

Tony Hemming, the veteran pitch curator from Western Australia, has officially resigned from his position as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chief curator. The announcement came from the PCB on Saturday, marking the end of Hemming’s 13-month tenure that began in July last year.

Although Hemming had signed a two-year contract, he opted to step down early. Sources indicate that he may be in discussions to return to his previous role with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), where he served before joining Pakistan cricket.

Hemming’s time in Pakistan included overseeing the preparation of pitches for several major cricketing events. These included Pakistan’s ICC World Test Championship fixtures against Bangladesh in August/September and England in October last year. He also played a central role in curating surfaces for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, hosted in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9.

With nearly 40 years of experience, Hemming is widely respected in the cricketing community. His career has seen him work at prestigious Australian venues in Melbourne, Perth, and Tasmania, as well as in countries like Bangladesh, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Between 2007 and 2017, he served as the ICC’s Head Curator in Dubai, managing pitch preparations at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium—one of Pakistan’s adopted home grounds between 2009 and 2019.

Hemming’s appointment in 2023 followed the departure of Zahid, a long-serving figure in PCB’s curation department. Zahid began his journey with the PCB Curators Committee in 2001, became chief curator in 2004, resigned in 2020, but was reinstated in 2021 by then-chairman Ramiz Raja.

Main Points of the Tony Hemming Resigns:

1. Tony Hemming resigns as PCB chief curator after 13 months in the role.

2. He had signed a two-year contract but opted to step down early.

3. Reports suggest he may return to the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

4. Oversaw pitch preparation for Pakistan’s WTC matches vs Bangladesh and England in 2024.

5. Curated pitches for ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan.

6. Nearly 40 years of global pitch curation experience.

7. Served as ICC’s Head Curator in Dubai from 2007 to 2017.

8. Managed Pakistan’s home ground pitches in Dubai during 2009–2019.

9. Took over from long-time curator Zahid in 2023.

10. Zahid had served PCB since 2001, with a brief resignation in 2020 before reappointment.