Pakistan cricket authorities have been moaning and groaning about thin crowds in domestic tournaments for several decades. Such a situation continues to persist because of the absence of top players in action. But these "stars," have always preferred to play the county and league cricket in England to domestic tournaments.
Among the premier tournaments played in the country are the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade I and II, Patrons Trophy Grade I and II and the PCB One-day International (ODI). These were the regular features in the domestic circuit, but the Pentangular Cup, stating in 1983-84, was not a regular tournament.
After a four-year lapse - from 1995 to 1999 - it started again in 2000. In this tournament, country's best five teams -- three departmental teams and associations' outfits - of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy took part. Later, the format was changed and the tournament was played between three associations and two departmental outfits.
The associations have never won a single tournament against their stronger opponents from the departments, which comprised best possible professional players, as the departments wanted a mileage through sports.
As regards departmental teams, one may recall that in 1973, former captain A H. persuaded departments to raise their teams. The basic idea behind this move was to provide jobs to players so that they could earn their living as professional cricketers.
Since the department too wanted a mileage through sports, they welcomed the suggestion and hired a number of cricketers to raise their own teams. Besides, the departments also provided proper coaching and training facilities. The associations, because of financial constraints and a lack of infrastructure could not provide financial support and much needed training and coaching facilities to their players, hence the youngsters had no other option but to seek employment in the departments.
As a result, the associations had depended on leftover players and were not able to compete with professional players, including Test and Internationals. But former captain Imran Khan continued to stress upon the Cricket Board authorities to abolish departmental cricket and replace it with regional cricket. He did not realise the fact that with the abolition of departmental cricket, hundreds of cricketers will become jobless.
The previous boards did not pay heed to Imran's suggestion, but the defunct PCB Ad hoc Committee has given a serious thought to his idea. Now the PCB, headed by Dr Nasim Ashraf, acting on the advice of Imran Khan, has discontinued the Patrons Trophy and revived the Pentangular Cup with a revised format with a view to making the tournament more competitive and attractive for cricket fans.
ASSSOCIAIONS IGNORED:
Now coming to the ongoing 18th Pentangular, associations have expressed dissatisfaction at the attitude of the PCB for ignoring associations in the selection process of players and other organisational matters.
They are of the view the PCB has ignored the associations and the entire selection is done by the PCB selection committee, headed by former Test cricketer Salahuddin Ahmed. Not only the Pentangular Cup, the selection of teams for Under-19 national is also made by the national selectors.
One may recall that it were the associations, particularly Karachi and Lahore, which were considered nurseries of cricket. These have provided world class players to the national team, hence ignoring associations in such a mega event is nothing but disservice to the game.
However, in the 18th Pentangular Cup, in all, 10 four-day matches will be played ending on March 14. After the first-round matches, there will be a break of nine days because of the general elections on February 18. The tournament will resume from February 22.
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik will lead a formidable Punjab side, while the national vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq will be his deputy. Among the current Pakistan stars Mohammad Yousuf and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal have been included in the squad that also features Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed. Fast bowler Mohammad Asif, currently recuperating from an elbow surgery, is expected to play for Punjab subject to passing the fitness test.
Shoaib Akhtar, who also has to prove his match-fitness to regain a place in the national team, has been named captain for the Federal Areas team. But the speedster did not agree with the PCB decision, arguing that he was not consulted by the Cricket Board. Even then he led the team, which comprises Rao Iftikhar (vice captain), Sohail Tanvir, Yasir Arafat, Bazid Khan and some of the international players. Prolific batsman Younus Khan will lead the NWFP team with Yasir Hameed as his deputy. Wajahatullah Wasti, Fazle Akbar, Samiullah Niazi are some prominent names in the squad which looks rather weak compared to Punjab.
Sindh will fight for the top honours under the captaincy of dashing all-rounder Shahid Afridi. Like Punjab, the Sindh outfit looks quite strong with the induction of prominent players like Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Sami, Hassan Raza, Faisal Iqbal, Khalid Latif, Fawad Alam, Khurram Manzoor and wicket keeper Sarfraz Ahmed.
The weakest team of the contest is Balochistan, which includes players from the Multan region to make it stronger. Balochistan will be led by Naseem Khan, while medium-pacer Abdur Rauf of Multan region is the vice-captain. Except for Rauf and opener Imran Nazir, there is no other prominent cricketer in the squad.
SALLU'S BRIEFING:
Announcing the details of the teams at a press conference in Lahore, chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said Shoaib Akhtar was included as he was fit for the game.
"He is our national asset and since he is not carrying any major injury and as he also appeared at the national camp for the Zimbabwe series it is enough to prove his fitness," he said.
PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi, who was present at the press conference, said the total cash prize for the winners was rupees one million. The amount is much less than the Indian Ranji Trophy winner, gets Rs 10 million.
"The PCB is not as [financially] strong as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI); and as they are 10 times bigger to us so I decided this amount," Naghmi said.
Asked if the Pentangular Cup was too competitive as compared to the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, then the players must have been awarded central contract for the next year on the basis of their performances in the former event instead of the latter, Director Cricket Operations Zakir Khan responded that it was not possible, though he stressed that the Pentangular Cup offered a tough competition.
The PCB had given central contract to various best performers of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy. Among the 22 teams, various weak teams were featuring in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy.
Besides the cash prize of rupees one million for the winners, the runners-up will receive Rs 500,000. Best batsman, bowler, wicket keeper and fielder will be awarded Rs 50,000 each. The player of the tournament will get a 1600CC car.
The playing eleven of a match will be entitled to receive Rs 25,000 each, while the non-playing members will get Rs 10,000 per match. Similarly, a win bonus for every victory is Rs 100,000.
While the selectors had announced 20 players for each of the five squads, the managers and coaches will reduce the list to 15 players each. The managers and coaches are also responsible to decide the playing eleven.
The PCB also made mandatory for every cricketer, including Test and International, to participate in the tournament, which will be followed by Twenty20 competition. Meanwhile, in the opening round of 2007-08 of the Pentangular Cup, played at National Stadium, Sindh defeated North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) by five wickets and at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, the Federal Area managed a draw against Punjab.
In a topsy-turvy encounter, in which Sindh, led by Test all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi, actually conceded the first innings lead to NWFP, led by Test cricketer Younus Khan, had to be content with only six points for their win. In Punjab's sole innings, speedster Shoaib Akhtar bowled 18 overs and returned wicketless having conceded 72 runs.
Now the tournament goes into an eight-day break due to the general elections in the country. When it resumes on February 22, Sindh will take on Balochistan at the National Stadium, while Punjab will play their next against NWFP at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
It was expected that the cricket fans will be able to see top cricketers such as Shoaib Malik, Younus Khan, Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi and many others in action. They will be playing in the four outfits of the five teams in the Pentangular Cup which got under way on February 10.
But it was disappointing for the PCB higher-ups that the match could not attract big crowd at the National Stadium, as the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) was kept away from the organisational matters of the tournament.