Only a significant improvement in domestic cricket standard can help Pakistan raise match-winning squads at international level
The World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa has just concluded, and as the cricketing world reflects on its red-ball heroes, fans in Pakistan are left wondering where their once-mighty Test team stands today.
Once a force to reckon with, Pakistan cricket now finds itself in a troubling state across all formats. Despite some bright moments, such as a recent T20I series whitewash against Bangladesh, the overall trajectory remains concerning.
In recent months, Pakistan has earned praise for successfully hosting global events like the Champions Trophy 2025 and the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL-10). The administrative side of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), under Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, deserves credit for improving stadium infrastructure, enhancing media coverage, and bringing top-tier cricket back home. But cricket is not just about spectacle, it is about substance.
That substance comes from a strong, vibrant domestic structure. Without a robust pipeline of technically and temperamentally sound players, Pakistan cannot dream of returning to its glory days. The real battleground for the future of Pakistan cricket is not in the glitzy stadiums of PSL or ICC events, it is in the overlooked domestic arenas across the country.
Domestic renaissance is the need of the hour
Pakistan’s decline in international cricket is symptomatic of its neglected domestic structure. While countries like Australia, England, and India have built world-class national teams on the back of powerful domestic leagues, including Sheffield Shield, County Cricket, and the Ranji Trophy respectively, Pakistan’s domestic system remains fractured, politicised, and outdated.
To restore Pakistan’s dominance in world cricket, the PCB must declare a national renaissance of domestic cricket. This renaissance must be strategic, well-funded, and built on three core pillars: meritocracy, competitiveness, and professional development.
Invest heavily in
domestic cricket
Chairman Mohsin Naqvi must now redirect PCB’s focus and financial resources toward domestic cricket. PSL has already proven that Pakistan can organize world-class competitions. It’s time the same organizational expertise and investment is channelled into four-day and first-class cricket.
Professional domestic tournaments must offer lucrative contracts, quality pitches, top coaching facilities, and media exposure to incentivize players. The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, President’s Trophy, and other local competitions should be restructured to mirror international standards, encouraging top-level competition.
Moreover, some domestic tournaments must be elevated to international status, just like English county cricket. Involving foreign players will not only raise the competitive level but also help local players learn and adapt to global standards.
Meritocracy must be non-negotiable
One of the gravest issues in domestic cricket has been the lack of fair selection. The influence of politics, favoritism, and fake clubs in player selection has undermined talent development. Associations must be restructured with independent and transparent elections, eliminating the menace of dummy clubs. Only then can we ensure that the best, most deserving players make it to the national team.
Pakistan’s domestic selectors must be empowered with accountability mechanisms to ensure that every player is chosen on merit. Cricketing talent is abundant in Pakistan, but mismanagement and flawed selection procedures have long hindered its rise.
Grassroots development and coaching standards
A renaissance of domestic cricket also means revolutionizing grassroots development. Pakistan needs a comprehensive plan to identify and nurture talent from school and club levels. High-quality coaches, both domestic and foreign, must be appointed across age groups. These coaches should focus on technique, fitness, discipline, and mental toughness.
Special academies should be set up in underdeveloped regions to ensure equitable access. It is unacceptable that some regions still lack proper cricketing facilities in 2025. If we are to uncover the next Babar Azam or Shaheen Afridi, we must cast the net wider. Lahore Qalandars’ Players Develepment Program (PDP) is one of the best programs in the cricketing world, so following such programs with the help of Qalandars can prove very fruitful for Pakistan Cricket Board as well as for Pakistan cricket.
First-class cricket
is the foundation of greatness
The modern obsession with T20 cricket must not distract us from the longer format. Test cricket is the ultimate benchmark of skill and temperament. To prepare players for this, we must restore the primacy of four-day cricket in our domestic calendar.
Countries that dominate world cricket have a deep respect for red-ball cricket, using it to groom future greats. PCB must ensure first-class matches are played on sporting pitches, with professional umpiring, fitness standards, and data analysis. Only then can Pakistan dream of producing reliable Test match-winners who can compete with the likes of Australia, India, and England on their home turf.
From Revival to resurgence: What must be bone
Hold Free and Fair Elections for Regional Associations: Associations should be autonomous, with no interference from vested interests. Fake clubs must be eliminated through rigorous scrutiny.
Restructure domestic calendar: Reduce cluttered schedules and introduce tiered leagues with promotion/relegation systems to enhance competitiveness.
Involve foreign talent: Open selection of domestic tournaments to foreign players to raise standards and improve exposure.
Modernise facilities: Ensure stadiums and grounds for domestic matches have quality pitches, fitness centres, media coverage, and digital scorecards.
Grassroots scouting and coaching: Build partnerships with schools, colleges, and local academies to scout talent early. Introduce certification-based training for coaches.
Incentivise performance: Reward consistent performers with central contracts, performance bonuses, and PSL draft inclusion.
Monitoring of performance rigorously: Use data analytics to track player performances across formats and ensure objective assessment.
The cost of
complacency:
If these reforms are not implemented urgently, Pakistan risks suffering the same fate as its national hockey team, a once-glorious sport now in terminal decline. Already, we see signs of dwindling fan interest, empty stadiums, and growing disillusionment with the national team.
Pakistan cricket must act before the rot deepens. The success of PSL and international events must not be a distraction. They are trophies of administration. The real prize is a winning national team built on the back of a fierce, fair, and fertile domestic structure.
Conclusion: Seize the moment: Pakistan domestic cricket stands at a pivotal moment.
With successful international events and improved infrastructure now in place, the time is ripe to rebuild the soul of cricket, its domestic structure. Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has shown he can deliver on complex challenges. Now, he must focus all his energies on reviving domestic cricket with the same urgency and vision.
Cricket in Pakistan is not just a sport, it is a symbol of national pride, unity, and aspiration. To restore its stature, we must return to the grassroots, cultivate talent with integrity, and invest in long-term systems that produce champions.
The path to international glory does not begin at Gaddafi Stadium or Rawalpindi, it begins in the dusty fields of Multan, the academies of Peshawar, and the club grounds of Karachi. It is here, and only here, that Pakistan cricket’s resurgence will take root.