Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has called for the revival and protection of departmental cricket, saying it played a crucial role in developing Pakistani talent. Ali believes the decision to shut it down contributed to the decline in Pakistan’s international cricket, describing departmental teams as the country’s biggest talent nursery. Azhar feels the system is once again being sidelined and stressed that restoring it is vital for Pakistan cricket’s future.
It was the biggest nursery for Pakistan cricket, and today again it feels like it’s being pushed out,” Azhar Ali said, as per Cricinfo. “It’s contributed a lot to our cricket. We shut it down a few years ago, and my personal view is that the slide in Pakistan’s international cricket right now has a lot to do with department cricket being shut down. After that, it took department cricket a long time to recover.
“Department cricket is a big need for Pakistan,” Azhar said.
Sahir Associates also opted to withdraw rather than accept the new terms, while Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), another of Pakistan’s long-standing departmental sides and the team through which Azhar himself emerged, was reportedly on the verge of pulling out before ultimately agreeing to participate.
