KARACHI: Advocating the need for professionals in cricket development, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said on Friday that more cricketers should be inducted in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) so that the system could be improved.
“It is not the job of bureaucrats. There is need for more cricketers in the Board,” Afridi said at the Jang Forum organised by the Jang Group of Companies here at Marriot Hotel.
“Cricketers know exactly the problems of cricketers because they have passed through tribulations while playing cricket,” he pointed out.
“Once Australia’s eight to nine players retired at one time. It struggled a little but recovered soon as it had a strong base. But here in Pakistan the things are different. We don’t know which player comes from where. A player gets some runs in a couple of matches in domestic cricket and he is picked in Pakistan team,” Afridi added.
He said unless the authorities worked on forming a strong back-up the national team would continue suffering. “We should have a Pakistan A team which should have 15 to 20 players. The PCB should also offer them contracts. Those talented players who are unable to perform in Pakistan team should stay in Pakistan A. The facilities which Pakistan team has should also be given to them. And then you will see that we will not face any problem as we will have a strong bench need,” said Afridi, who played 27 Tests, 398 One-dayers and 98 T20 Internationals.
To a query, Afridi said that in strong cricketing countries like Australia and England the boards’ chairmen’s role was different from what the PCB chairman had been enjoying. “When I ask the players of Australia and England about their chairmen’s involvement in cricket they say ‘nothing’. Manager, coach and captain are the ones who form the team. The chairman acts as an administrator. Establishing relations with the foreign boards is among their responsibilities. But Pakistan sticks to an obsolete system,” Afridi explained.
He said that Pakistan must correct its domestic system. “South Africa was away from international cricket at one time. But it worked hard on improving its domestic cricket. When they appeared in the 1992 World Cup, it was our favourite team after Pakistan and narrowly missed the title,” Afridi said.
“If you form a proper base, producing result is not difficult. When a new PCB chairman comes he brings with himself a new system. Our system changes every year. Let’s stick to a system for two to four years and then evaluate whether the system you have made yields results or not,” Afridi added.
He said that due to the flawed system Pakistan’s first-class cricket had lost its gloss. “There was a time when playing first-class cricket was very difficult. Half of Karachiites would know a first-class cricketer. First-class cricket had a reputation but now in every street you will find a few first-class cricketers,” the player said.
Afridi said cricket had been an important part of Pakistan’s sports and it should be properly looked after. “Cricket needs proper attention. The prime minister will have to give it time. The PCB needs to utilise senior cricketers for the sport development. There is also a fault with our cricketers as they see only the national team because of more publicity and more money. They should play their role in serving cricket at the junior level as well which is very important,” Afridi added.
He also stressed the need for establishing more academies in Pakistan, adding these were the schools of cricket. “Before the World T20 I had to shift with my family from Karachi to Lahore because of lack of a proper academy,” he said.
He questioned the role of associations in cricket development. “The associations are destroying cricket. The PCB gives them grant and they make no contribution. It would be better if the PCB selectors formed teams of associations. The deserving players will then get opportunities,” he said.
He also stressed that school cricket should be improved. He also backed departmental cricket. “The departments support the cream of the country by offering them jobs. Departmental cricket is much better than regional cricket,” Afridi said. At the end of the programme, Afridi was presented a memento from Jang Group.
