Questions remain unanswered as Quaid-e-Azam Trophy begins

KARACHI: Pakistan’s cricket will see a new dawn from today when six teams begin competing in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first class tournament. Those who have introduced the new domestic format claim that it will change the destiny of Pakistan cricket and quality cricketers will be produced.

Not a single voice has been raised against it, but neither departments nor regions have expressed their sentiments on the introduction of this new format, which has thrown out around 600 first class and grade II cricketers in a single shot.

Former Test and ODI cricketers, organisers of club cricket and regional associations’ representatives said while talking to ‘The News’ on condition of anonymity that they had serious reservations on this new domestic cricket format. But they said that it was no use raising questions due to ongoing situation as those who fought legal battle against PCB lost their cases.

A former Test cricketer said that how long the PCB could bear the financial burden of this new format things. He said as soon as PCB left it to sponsors the system would collapse like a house of cards.

He said that no revolutionary steps have been taken. “The pentangular trophy used to have five teams. How many quality cricketers did that produce!” he said. He further said that Kookaburra ball would not improve batsmen’s performance. “Instead, Kookaburra ball after a few overs makes batting easy because its seams are soft and our wickets are barren and tough. The seams of the ball would be rubbed and the ball would be easy for batting. The same ball has also been used in our domestic cricket system and did not make any extraordinary improvement,” he added.

“What have they planned for those 600 cricketers who have been deprived of the chance to play first class cricket. What is to become of the departmental teams. The PCB high ups should save them by introducing the third and fourth tire in the new domestic cricket format,” he suggested.

The domestic cricket cannot be improved with these changes, he said and added it would be improved by strengthening club cricket. Sources said that not only the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy cricket matches were restricted through this new format, but also those of Patron’s Trophy and Grade II cricket.

The success of new domestic cricket format would be proved if private sector came forward and sponsors owned the regional teams, a source said. The PCB has vowed that the system would deliver results after three years. Till then, it would bear the expenditures of this new format, it said.