Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi isn’t happy with PM Imran Khan’s decision to scrape departmental cricket. The former captain expressed his disapproval of the PM’s stance on departmental cricket.
According to Shahid Afridi, the department cricket has greatly benefitted cricketers for many years and Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Ramiz Raja knows this. He added that PM Imran Khan’s approach towards department cricket isn’t the right one.
“I think Ramiz bhai has played a lot of domestic cricket with Allied bank and he understands it well. I don’t think Imran Khan’s decision regarding department cricket is the right one. It’s not a given that every decision from Imran bhai (brother) will be the correct one,” said Shahid Afridi.
The former captain added: “You should talk to those who benefitted from department cricket and many senior players went to meet PM Imran Khan, tried to convince him but he was adamant on his stance and this is not the right way. Imran bhai’s strategy might be effective abroad but not here.”
Last year, Misbah-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez met with PM Imran Khan and tried to change the premier’s mind about the new structure but failed to do so.
The 1992 winning captain has always advocated for a domestic structure with only regional sides instead of departmental sides.
Scrapping departmental cricket costed 400 cricketers their jobs:
PM Imran Khan decision to scrap department cricket costed as many as 400 cricketers their jobs. The PCB then offered 192 cricketers contracts. Those contracts were much less than what the departments were paying cricketers.
Many departments such as Habib Bank Limited, Sui Southern Gas Corporation, Water and Power Development Authority and others suspended contracts they had with cricketers.
What are your views on this? Share in the comments bar below .
I agree with Shahid Afridi for the first time. However, knowing IK, chances of departmental cricket is bleak.
I agree that we should go back to departmental cricket as it suits a poor country like Pakistan.
pea brain afridi
Department cricket is shit. Gadhay aur ghouray 1 sath is a stupid idea. Only creams should come forward. This is cricket. Don’t make it like PIA steel mill where you get the job just to burden the organisation but nothing substantial is coming.