Deep down, I am a cricket purist who loves Test match cricket and understands the importance of first class in this format. However, I am also a realist. I have made many posts detailing how test match and first-class cricket have no future in Pakistan.
T20 cricket is our only chance at being competitive in cricket, and it's probably the only cricket format that will exist in 10-15 years. This is why it is critical to the Pakistan team that we continue to grow, expand, and invest in T20 leagues. It will help secure the financial future of our cricket and develop more talent.
While some have voiced their concerns about the PSL and suggested a return to regular FC cricket for selection, I believe this is a misguided approach. In fact, we need to take a different path, one that champions T20 cricket and its potential for our cricket's future.
Furthermore, we should push our cricketers to play high-quality leagues and make deals with different boards to ensure our players get the chance. Most of our T20 players have developed by playing overseas. Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub and heck, even Azam Khan have benefited more from playing overseas than by toiling in our domestic structure. However, the leagues have to be of high quality - the Lanka Premier League and Banga Premier League won't cut it. We need our players to play in franchises in Indian-owned leagues (where possible), the 100 and the BBL.
With immediate effect I would try to implement the following:
Cut the QEA trophy and Presidents Cup. Make it a 16-team league in 4 groups playing concurrently. The top team from each group goes to the Semis. This would eliminate the never-ending Pak FC cycle and reduce the number of games.
Create regional divisional T20 leagues under the auspices of the PCB. They should try to model the English Football structure but with regional leagues for each province. Punjab Premier League, Sindh Premier League, etc, with only players from that region. This should be played for a whole season, with the top teams playing the national cup. As the leagues expand in each region, they can become multi-divisional. PSL exists separately from this set-up.
Have proper pitches and full boundary sizes in all leagues, including the PSL.
Introduce a short T10 franchise league using the PSL franchises. They can call it the Ramadan cup or whatever.
Allow players to play as many leagues as possible overseas. If it clashes with the cut-down FC domestic, it's no problem. If it clashes with the T20 bilateral, it can be assessed case-by-case. However, the priority should be to push talent out into the world, learn what the best in the business are doing and come back to Pakistan and implement it.
We are never going to produce Imrans or Miandads or Wasims again, but if we continue to pretend, we are a Test first-class powerhouse we may also never produce Afridis or Guls or Hafeez again. It's time to concentrate our resources, abandon these pipe dreams and focus on what we can potentially be good at.
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