There seems to be a domestic competition starting every 5 minutes in Pakistan. After recent tournament disasters, the cricket establishment agree on one thing - more domestic cricket is necessary. However the quality, scheduling and structure of domestic cricket is shambolic.
1) Quality - After a period where FC teams were limited to 6-8, this year 18 teams competed in the QEA Trophy in 3 groups. While encouraging seeing youngsters like Azan Awais and Maaz Sadaqat top the batting chart, it's difficult gauging the quality of performance when the player base is dispersed so thinly. Taking a match from each group for example:
Group A - Lahore Whites vs Larkana (Nov 19-21):
- 3 of Larkana's top 5 have played 2, 9 and 3 FC matches respectively - basically club cricketers. Only 41 year old Akbar-ur-Rehman averages above 30.
- Lahore's top 5 have two batsmen averaging above 30 in FC cricket in Obaid Shahid and Muhammad Akhlaq. Only two have more than 20 FC caps. Saad Nasim is the highest averaging batsman (33) and he's the allrounder at 6.
Group B - Karachi Whites vs Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Nov 13-16):
- Karachi have a decent batting lineup with Khurram Manzoor, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel and Rameez Aziz all domestic stalwarts. Saud and Rameez score hundreds. Now look at the opposition bowling - Taj Wali, Faizan Saleem, Shadab Majeed and Basit Ali. Of the four, only Taj Wali has more than 10 FC caps.
- Amazing preparation for Shan and Saud before the South Africa tour vs Rabada and co...
Group C - Lahore Blues vs FATA (Nov 19-21):
- FATA's top 5 have 14 FC caps combined. Note these are tallies AFTER the end of the season so all these guys had even less experience when the matches took place ! Who are the youngsters learning from ?
2) Scheduling
QEA Trophy began 26th October 2024 (6 days after its scheduled start apparently due to budgetary issues). By then we were halfway through our longest Test season in history with the home series vs Bangladesh and England already over !
It meant Pakistan's Test players had no FC cricket since the Sydney Test which ended 10.5 months earlier. There was one gap in September - taken by Champions One Day Cup.
3) Parallel systems
There are 3 parallel systems currently operating - regional, departmental and Champions. Except for departmental cricket, PCB is footing the entire bill including kits, transport, accomodation, match fees etc. With addition of Champions Cups, the costs have soared further.
PCB have rarely attempted to create self-financing regional associations who could assume some of the burden, mostly centralising power for itself, and this regime seems no different.
Nor can fans identify with artificial entities like Markhors, Panthers, Lions etc or departmental teams like Ghani Glass and PTV.
4) Broadcast quality
Outside of the final, the coverage of the QEA Trophy was archaic with single camera setup and only highlights of individual players. Between 2019-2023, PCB livestreamed one match per round with full commentary and multicamera setup. Non-broadcasted matches were covered through detailed roundups. I enjoyed watching QEA Trophy more than our Tests during this time.
Coaches and captains had proper press conferences where they were held accountable. Now does anyone care ?
5) Pitches and balls
FC pitches were generally green and damp (Musa Khan averaged 9.81 !) while square turners were being manufactured for Tests. Another sign of this disconnect was using Dukes balls whereas the Tests were played with Kookaburras.
Conclusion
Now there's a National T20 tournament ongoing sandwiched between National T20 and PSL.
A committee of PP members could construct a better domestic setup than this farce. Until Pakistan gives due regard to domestic cricket, our decline will continue.
1) Quality - After a period where FC teams were limited to 6-8, this year 18 teams competed in the QEA Trophy in 3 groups. While encouraging seeing youngsters like Azan Awais and Maaz Sadaqat top the batting chart, it's difficult gauging the quality of performance when the player base is dispersed so thinly. Taking a match from each group for example:
Group A - Lahore Whites vs Larkana (Nov 19-21):
- 3 of Larkana's top 5 have played 2, 9 and 3 FC matches respectively - basically club cricketers. Only 41 year old Akbar-ur-Rehman averages above 30.
- Lahore's top 5 have two batsmen averaging above 30 in FC cricket in Obaid Shahid and Muhammad Akhlaq. Only two have more than 20 FC caps. Saad Nasim is the highest averaging batsman (33) and he's the allrounder at 6.
Group B - Karachi Whites vs Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Nov 13-16):
- Karachi have a decent batting lineup with Khurram Manzoor, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel and Rameez Aziz all domestic stalwarts. Saud and Rameez score hundreds. Now look at the opposition bowling - Taj Wali, Faizan Saleem, Shadab Majeed and Basit Ali. Of the four, only Taj Wali has more than 10 FC caps.
- Amazing preparation for Shan and Saud before the South Africa tour vs Rabada and co...
Group C - Lahore Blues vs FATA (Nov 19-21):
- FATA's top 5 have 14 FC caps combined. Note these are tallies AFTER the end of the season so all these guys had even less experience when the matches took place ! Who are the youngsters learning from ?
2) Scheduling
QEA Trophy began 26th October 2024 (6 days after its scheduled start apparently due to budgetary issues). By then we were halfway through our longest Test season in history with the home series vs Bangladesh and England already over !
It meant Pakistan's Test players had no FC cricket since the Sydney Test which ended 10.5 months earlier. There was one gap in September - taken by Champions One Day Cup.
3) Parallel systems
There are 3 parallel systems currently operating - regional, departmental and Champions. Except for departmental cricket, PCB is footing the entire bill including kits, transport, accomodation, match fees etc. With addition of Champions Cups, the costs have soared further.
PCB have rarely attempted to create self-financing regional associations who could assume some of the burden, mostly centralising power for itself, and this regime seems no different.
Nor can fans identify with artificial entities like Markhors, Panthers, Lions etc or departmental teams like Ghani Glass and PTV.
4) Broadcast quality
Outside of the final, the coverage of the QEA Trophy was archaic with single camera setup and only highlights of individual players. Between 2019-2023, PCB livestreamed one match per round with full commentary and multicamera setup. Non-broadcasted matches were covered through detailed roundups. I enjoyed watching QEA Trophy more than our Tests during this time.
Coaches and captains had proper press conferences where they were held accountable. Now does anyone care ?
5) Pitches and balls
FC pitches were generally green and damp (Musa Khan averaged 9.81 !) while square turners were being manufactured for Tests. Another sign of this disconnect was using Dukes balls whereas the Tests were played with Kookaburras.
Conclusion
Now there's a National T20 tournament ongoing sandwiched between National T20 and PSL.
A committee of PP members could construct a better domestic setup than this farce. Until Pakistan gives due regard to domestic cricket, our decline will continue.
