PCB chief takes input from former Test cricketers
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi met former Test cricketers to discuss the future of Pakistan cricket here at the Board’s headquarters.
The PCB chief met more than two dozen former cricketers in which there was not much talk about the current Pakistan cricket team but there was a detailed discussion on the structure of the domestic cricket.
At the beginning of the meeting a presentation titled ‘Pathway to Pakistan Cricket’ was given by Naqvi in which it was told through which stages a cricketer will reach the Pakistan team.
Former Test cricketer Sikander Bakht pointed out in the meeting that U-19 was not included in the pathway on which it was told that U-19 is part of the plan and it will be given maximum importance.
Sikandar Bakht also discussed the scheduling of domestic cricket and shared his suggestions with the PCB head. He also pointed out that there should be a mechanism for selection in the team, the most important of which is to play first-class cricket.
All the cricketers agreed that in the domestic season, four-day cricket should be played first in September-October and later one-day cricket. Naqvi expressed his determination to implement this proposal.
During the meeting, former captain Salman Butt stressed the importance of four-day cricket and said that more tours should be conducted for the A team, U-19 and U-16. A team should tour Australia, South Africa and England, he said.
Salman Butt suggested that first 16 regions and 10 departments of cricket should be held for the selection of teams in the proposed pentangular and said that the squad for the Champions Tournament should be selected on the basis of recent performance instead of past performance. He also suggested to conduct school cricket.
Salman Butt also suggested that the NOC of the two leagues should be made conditional on participation in at least five first-class matches.
Former Chief Selector Haroon Rasheed suggested to create a coaches development programme and decentralize the affairs of the regions. There are many factors involved in coaching which training is necessary, even after completing the coaching courses, work should be done first at the grass root level and then brought to international cricket, Haroon said.
He also said that the teams of the regions should be run by the people of the regions, adding it is not possible that the team of Larkana should also be made by the PCB. He stressed that it is necessary to devolve the powers to the grass root level issues. Former Test cricketer Intikhab Alam said that more attention should be given to four-day and U-19 while the condition of the grounds also needs to be improved.
He also suggested that departments should also be involved in the decision making. Former Test pacer Abdur Rauf said that the PCB should hire educated cricketers. Asim Kamal suggested introducing coaching courses from the U-16 level while Yasir Hameed emphasized that the thinking that a great cricketer would be a great coach has to be changed.
In the meeting there was no formal discussion on the current performance of the Pakistan cricket team.
Former cricketer Sadiq Muhammad severely criticized the selection of Pakistan cricket team.
Sources say that Sadiq Muhammad used the English word pathetic for the selection of the national team and said that the team went with only four players, the rest were of no purpose.
Former batsman Basit Ali told in the meeting that the pension of former cricketers is suspended, on which Chairman PCB assured to resolve the matter immediately.
The PCB chief appreciated the suggestions of the players in the meeting and assured their implementation. He expressed determination to set up academies in cities and improve the condition of stadiums.
The chairman told the players that there is no doubt that four-day cricket is very important and it will be given importance. He promised that, more tours of A team and U-19 will be made to strengthen the bench.