Legendary Zaheer Abbas Calls for Revival of Department Cricket in Pakistan

The departmental system was introduced by former Pakistan captain, Abdul Hafeez Kardar, but was abolished at the behest of the former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, in 2019 which forced hundreds of cricketers and officials to lose their jobs due to the closure of departments.

Responding to this, Pakistan’s former Test cricketers, Intikhab Alam and Zaheer Abbas have said that the revival of departmental cricket in the country is important as it helped many players in the past.

While talking to a local newspaper Intikhab said, “Everyone witnessed how several departmental teams were formed and [from them] how many international level cricketers emerged who got a huge opportunity to play the game [at the highest level] and secure their future.”

Intikhab further said that departmental cricket was closed by those who were themselves the beneficiaries of that system. “Instead of encouraging departmental cricket that grooms new talent, the departments were discouraged which forced many of them to shut their doors to cricketers.”

While responding to six team system he asked, “Pakistan is a nation of 220 million and we have only six teams in our first-class cricket. What can you produce through this system?”

Speaking on the same subject, legendary Zaheer Abbas said that the board should continue the departmental system as it has benefited thousands of cricketers in the county during the last six decades.

“There were thousands of cricketers who benefited through the departmental cricket system and it should continue,” the batting maestro remarked.

Earlier this month, former cricketer Iqbal Qasim had also requested the cricket board to restore departmental cricket immediately.