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Former greats oppose plans to abolish departmental cricket
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KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has strongly rejected the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision to abolish departmental cricket.During a fiery news conference here on Saturday, Miandad said that till time when departmental sports were in vogue Pakistan had global titles in different sports.He was flanked by squash legend Jehangir Khan and hockey Olympian Islahuddin Siddiuqi.“We were world champions at different places when departmental sports was running. Now I can say with utmost surety that had there not been Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) then there would have been no Jehangir Khan,” Miandad said.Prime Minister Imran Khan, while rejecting the recommendations of the task-force for domestic cricket in a meeting in Islamabad recently, ordered the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to opt for a six-team first-class cricket structure where there would be no role of departments. The departments could only sponsor the provincial teams.A blue-print of the first-class cricket and the rest of the domestic events has already been made public by the media.According to the proposed first-class cricket structure, six teams, including Sindh, North Punjab, South Punjab, Balochistan, Federal Areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be featuring on double league basis.And besides the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which will have its usual format, in the rest of the other domestic events, 16 associations each will be contesting.Soon after the meeting in which Imran Khan ordered the PCB to go for a six-team first-class cricket structure, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) decided to demobilise its cricket team. HBL were champions of both the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the One-day event held last season.On April 17, five, out of the seven PCB Governing Board members, had moved a resolution in Quetta, rejecting the PCB’s move to abolish departments and regions in the domestic cricket.Miandad says that no one plays hockey or cricket if there is no job.“Our real issue is economic. No one wants to play hockey or cricket if there is no job. The people play because of compulsion as they want to earn bread and butter,” Miandad said.He said Imran Khan himself played county cricket and also played for department.“Imran bhai, the Prime Minister, you have played county cricket in England yourself. We were not insane to play county cricket but we played because we were earning money,” Miandad said.“Ask your PTI people who have voted for you whether you are right or we are speaking the truth. Time will decide,” the former legendary right-handed top order batsman said.He said had he been the PM he would have advised all the departments to form their teams.“Unlike in the Australian culture, in our culture the whole family depends on earning of a single individual. Parents feed their children. The prime minister should take input from the masses and the concerned people before going for any cricket structure,” he said.Meanwhile, large number of cricketers also staged a protest demonstration in front of the Karachi Press Club, chanting slogans “Restore departmental cricket.”Miandad also joined them and expressed solidarity with them.The 61-year-old Miandad scored 8832 runs in 124 Tests at a decent average of 52.57 which also includes 23 centuries and 45 fifties.In 233 ODIs, he scored 7381 runs at an average of 41.70 which includes eight centuries and fifty fifties.Jehangir said that departments play a key role in the promotion of young players.“Departments play a major role in providing jobs to the players and polishing their talents. Where will our young players go if these departments are no more part of the domestic structure?” he questioned.Two-time hockey World Cup winner Islahuddin, warned that if PM continues with his plan of shaking up the sports structure of the country, it would result in a great loss for the players.Islah further said that he himself was a product of departmental hockey.