Ishtiaq urges PCB to overhaul domestic structure

By our correspondent
LAHORE: Ex-ICC referee and first class cricketer Ishtiaq Ahmed has suggested to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to completely overhaul the domestic structure.
“It has been happened in the past so many times but without giving any fruitful result. My suggestion to the honourable Chairman PCB are to completely change the domestic cricket structure,” Ishtiaq told this correspondent.
“Secondly all the coaches should be stopped from coaching who have played less than ten first class matches. Thirdly coaches should be isolated from selection process at all levels of cricket. Ex-first class cricketer or international cricketer should be brought in to run this field,” Ishtiaq said.
“Non cricketers should be removed. Experience plus fitness and a player having strong cricketing background should be appointed managers and coaches,” Ishtiaq said.
“Liking and disliking should be removed from the selection process otherwise cricket will face the same debacle like hockey. PCB should appoint an officer having strong cricketing background to have a complete check on activities of Clubs. Ex-referee and umpire should be included in the PCB cricketing committee. Referees should also be involved in the selection of regional teams. PCB should include referees and Umpires in the scrutiny committee of PCB as well other committees. Ex+referees having strong background should also be appointed as member of Junior. Senior and women selection committee. Referee is an important figure in modern days cricket because he knows each and every thing about our domestic cricket as well international cricket,” he said.
“We need to encourage schools cricket through PCB appointed officers in the regions. We need to prepare supporting pitches as we did in the past. Batting paradise pitches will create bad impact on the performance of our players in all the departments of the game. We should also give importance to fitness of the players. PSL should not become criteria for selection of national team. We need to produce quality batsmen. spinners and fast bowlers. The standard of our fielding is not good. It needs to be improved through planning. I am confident my these suggestions will definitely help to improve the standard of our domestic cricket. It is very important that we should also prepare back-up teams. Drastic changes are required in the PCB in order to flourish our cricket in Pakistan” Ishtiaq said.