A former Pakistan Cricket Board chief selector has attributed the country’s recent cricket decline to domestic structural changes implemented during Imran Khan’s time as Prime Minister. Haroon Rasheed, who served in multiple senior PCB roles, revealed that he participated in a task force tasked with evaluating Pakistan’s domestic system when Khan held office from 2018 to 2022.
According to Rasheed, the task force proposed a balanced approach that would have maintained departmental cricket alongside a reduced provincial framework. The recommendation suggested limiting first-class teams to eight while preserving departmental participation. However, Rasheed claims Khan rejected this compromise proposal, insisting on an even more drastic reduction to just five or six teams. The eventual restructuring eliminated departmental cricket entirely, condensing the first-class system from 10-16 teams to five provincial sides modeled after Australia’s system.
Rasheed contends this centralized approach has undermined the competitive depth necessary for developing cricket talent. He cited India’s domestic structure as an alternative model, noting that India maintains multiple parallel competitions including the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, and state-level tournaments alongside the IPL. Rasheed argued that India’s layered system has contributed to its sustained cricket excellence.
The former selector advocates for reversing Pakistan’s centralization model, recommending that regional associations and departmental bodies be granted greater autonomy and independence. His criticism reflects broader concerns among former officials regarding Pakistan cricket’s current administrative direction and player development pathway.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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