Former Pakistan Test cricketer Shabbir Ahmed has resigned as the head coach of Dera Ghazi Khan’s cricket team, citing rampant nepotism in domestic cricket as his primary reason for stepping down.
In a statement, Shabbir lamented how deserving players are often sidelined due to favoritism, despite their hard work and dedication.
“A boy works hard for a whole year, but then someone with connections takes his place,” Shabbir said, expressing frustration with the management’s unwillingness to address the issue.
“Our cricket has declined to the point where teams like Bangladesh are outclassing us.” said the Test cricketer.
His resignation comes at a time when Pakistan cricket is facing intense scrutiny, particularly after the national team’s humiliating 2-0 loss to Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
Shabbir acknowledged the support he received from friends and fellow grassroots workers but admitted to feeling disheartened by the state of domestic cricket. “I was very disappointed, there was also pain. So I decided to resign,” he concluded.
This incident has fueled growing concerns over the deteriorating quality of domestic cricket in Pakistan, as nepotism continues to undermine the development of promising talent across the country.
Meanwhile, according to PCB sources, the former cricketer resigned to save face and leveled accusations. Sources claim that Shabbir Ahmed dropped Huzaifa Shafiq based on personal biases.
Reportedly, Shabbir Ahmed accused the senior Dera Ghazi Khan cricket team player Huzaifa Shafiq of disciplinary issues. However, the PCB’s inquiry committee cleared the player of these allegations.
Sources suggest that despite lacking performance justification, Shabbir Ahmed removed Huzaifa Shafiq who had taken 19 wickets in the Challenge Cup and was the third leading wicket-taker.
Pakistan has now lost five consecutive Test matches, plummeting to 8th in the ICC Test Rankings.
