PM Imran Khan breaks silence on departmental cricket fiasco

Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has reaffirmed his decision to put an end to departmental cricket in the country.

“All around the world there are regional teams, whereas Pakistan is the only country where sponsors have teams, this happens nowhere else,” PM said while talking to the media. The former World Cup winning cricket captain said that the current system is not allowing the talent to come through.

“I have been asking for this structure to be fixed since my cricket playing days… because the problem is that the current system in Pakistan is such that is stopping the talent from coming through and we must change that," he said.

Adding to his point on promoting regional cricket, the Prime Minister gave the example of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), saying that cricket fans from Quetta were following PSL despite the fact that no player from Quetta was playing in the tournament.

Speaking about fellow cricketer Javed Miandad's criticism over the decision to end departmental cricket, the PM said, “Javed [Miandad] has his own opinion”. Miandad, along with squash legend Jahangir Khan, had earlier voiced his disapproval over PM’s decision.

“I can say with surety that if it wasn’t for PIA, Jahangir Khan wouldn’t be Jahangir Khan,” Miandad said. “People want jobs, no one wants to play cricket or hockey. Their helplessness is being taken advantage of,” he added.