New Delhi, August 15: Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has attributed the national team’s poor performance in Test cricket to the discontinuation of departmental cricket. Having captained Pakistan in 9 Tests and 31 ODIs, Azhar described departmental cricket as a vital “nursery” for the national teams, expressing concern over its elimination.
Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) excluded two departments—WAPDA and Sahir Associates—from the 2026-27 domestic season due to their inability to comply with new regulations. WAPDA has been one of Pakistan’s oldest domestic teams, while Sahir Associates also failed to meet the PCB’s new requirements.
Azhar emphasized that neglecting departmental cricket is a significant reason for the national team’s decline. He told ESPN Cricinfo, “Departmental cricket is crucial for Pakistan. It has contributed immensely to our cricket. We discontinued it a few years ago, and in my opinion, the current decline in Pakistan’s international cricket is closely linked to the end of departmental cricket. It took a long time for departmental cricket to recover. It was the biggest nursery for Pakistan cricket, and it seems to be on the verge of being eliminated again.”
The former cricketer also criticized the PCB for its constant changes in operations. He stated, “The first thing I would do is let any system we implement run for a few years. If you change things every year, it means either last year was wrong, or this year is wrong. Our problem at the PCB is that we are never wrong, but perhaps we are never right either, because when you change every year, it indicates a mistake was made.”
Azhar further remarked, “Every year we promise that better players will emerge from the system. However, we are not seeing those results. We change every year and then say, ‘The last season didn’t go as planned, but the next one will be better.’”
Before making a name internationally, Azhar was part of departmental cricket. He was among the few cricketers who appealed to then-Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2019 to reverse the decision to abolish departmental cricket. Imran did not comply, and after the captain who led Pakistan to the 1992 World Cup was removed from government, departmental cricket made a comeback in 2023.
“I was nurtured in departmental cricket, just like many other players. Sometimes, no one cares about us at the regional level. However, the department provided us with salaries and financial security. This is crucial in Pakistan’s culture and economic reality. A salary of 30-40 thousand PKR from Grade 2 teams and smaller departments is significant. Otherwise, young players’ parents won’t allow them to play and will tell them to find decent jobs,” he explained.
He noted that the desire to play cricket in Pakistan is not an issue, but financial support is essential. “The desire to play cricket is not a problem in Pakistan. In England and Australia, special programs are run in schools and counties to encourage children to play cricket. Here, they are already playing; the need is for them to provide for their families when they are 18 or 20. It should be financially viable; we are not a wealthy, developed country.”
“It is easy to say that we should reduce the number of teams in domestic cricket. However, if there is no financial benefit, how many children can pursue cricket? I have seen young players who had to leave Pakistan after departmental cricket ended. They saw no future here.”
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