New Format in Domestic First Class Cricket is a Success

New Format in Domestic First Class Cricket is a Success

Pakistan’s Domestic First Class cricket season ended with Quiad-e-Azam trophy title going to Karachi. PCB opted a new format for first class cricket this season and it seems that they have found a longer lasting format after hit and trail for a number of years. Though, still one feels that there is a lot of room for improvement in the format but there definitely was a huge improvement seen. It is understandable that only competitive cricket at grass root level can produce competitive cricketers, while there is no doubt in amount of raw talent Pakistan possesses, a strong structure of domestic can produce a pool of players that can take Pakistan Cricket beyond limits.

Two tier new format and making Departmental and Regional teams play in different pools immensely improved the quality of cricket. Like in pervious format, there was no point of a competition between a strong team like HBL and a weak outfit like Multan. Loads of thrashings by an innings were seen in last season and reason was clear, matches between unmatched. Even selectors were reluctant to consider the players for big screen because there were doubts regarding the strength of the oppositions whom they have performed against. A hundred against SNGPL and HBL or a five-for against KRL or Port Qasim will mean something for selectors rather than any strong performance against Multan or Quetta.

Quality has improved, not only in competitions between Departmental teams but in Regional affairs too, as matches were played in two different tournaments, so players who had their duties with departmental teams could also answer the call of duty from their regional teams, which increased the quality of cricket in both tournaments. Players had more matches to play to showcase their talent and get the eye of selectors. Departments now have better look into player’s performance and hopefully we will see lots of new signings in departmental teams of players from regional teams in next season.

PCB definitely has taken some steps that worth endorsements, new first class cricket format is one of them, and results are shining too, selectors were confident to pick likes of Ehsan Adil and Rahat Ali, even Muhammad Irfan’s comeback would have been in a doubt if he hadn’t taken wickets against strong outfits, playing for a strong team and taking wickets against Hyderabad and Quetta in pervious format would have been pointless to some extent.

With a format worth keeping, PCB now needs to look into the other important issues, Players are complaining about facilities for a long now. It is fairly clear that it is the time now when PCB has to invest, if the cricket is of the quality we saw in current season, search of a sponsor for domestic cricket should not be difficult. PCB can even talk to the sponsors of upcoming PSL to invest money in First Class cricket too in order to get attached with PSL. Umpiring and coaching staff are other issues that need to be addressed on priority basis. Our players while playing at international level make mistakes that can be counted as childish and should have been accounted at lower level.

Pakistani cricket fans are starving for international cricket. It’s been more than three years now when they saw international cricket in all whites in their stadium, in this situation, if good quality cricket is being played at regular basis at first class level, it won’t be difficult to have a good crowd in. Our domestic cricket can provide our torn nation a good picnic time.

“A strong management will deliver better products.”  Even though PCB officials will not gear up to play in ground to get better results for Pakistan Cricket Team, their better management would definitely help in getting some. If Pakistan Cricket gets better and strong domestic structure it will ultimately lead to strong Pakistani outfit in international cricket. With PSL around the corner one must hope that Domestic Cricket is getting better which is very important, as around the world Cricket is not a sport anymore, it’s more like an industry now and if PCB gets success in turning our cricket in an industry too it will be no wonder if we see big foreign investment in our cricket. New format of domestic first class cricket is first and very fine step by PCB and one must say, it’s a Success.