Former Test cricketers want PCB to resolve match passes issue

KARACHI: The former Test cricketers have said they face problems in getting match passes whenever there are PSL or international matches at National Stadium in Karachi.

They have demanded that the PCB’s top management take a firm decision on how to facilitate the former players as far as passes of the matches are concerned.

This is the first time that HBL PSL is being organised completely in Pakistan. It is a common tradition in all Test-playing nations that former Test cricketers are invited to see the matches that are taking place in their cities.

Former Test cricketers Sadiq Muhammad, Jalaluddin, Rashid Khan, Ijaz Faqih and others faced problems when they received their match passes for HBL PSL, sources said.

A former Test cricketer said that it was shameful that PCB management was unable to solve this minor issue and did not give regard to former players.

He said that he did not understand why the match passes for Karachi-born Test cricketers was always made an issue.

Interestingly, hundreds of seats were seen empty during many PSL matches this season but still the former cricketers were running from pillar to post to get their passes. Another cricketer said that this year only two passes were given to each Test cricketer. He said he had been given the passes only one day before the event.

He said that every Test cricketer used to get four passes when the PCB was led by Shaharyar Khan and Najam Sethi. He said it was surprising that a high official of PCB in Lahore decided how and when the match passes would be delivered to former players based in Karachi.

Another Test cricketer said that PCB CEO Wasim Khan was doing a great job as far as the development of cricket in Pakistan was concerned. He added that Wasim should also resolve forever. The former cricketers appealed to Wasim to reserve seats in some enclosure for them and their families so that they could enjoy the games.