Former Pakistan pacer Sikandar Bakht has strongly criticized the country’s cricketers for refusing to participate in the National T20 Championship. He expressed his disappointment, pointing out that these players are employees of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and, given their substantial monthly earnings of Rs 60 lakh, should be obligated to take part in all domestic competitions.
Reports from Pakistani media indicate that ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan chose to play club cricket instead of competing in the National T20 Cup, which is organized by PCB. Frustrated by this decision, Bakht urged PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to adopt a firmer stance and enforce severe penalties on those who opt out of domestic tournaments.
“They are employees of the Pakistan Cricket Board. They get 60 lakh per month, so they must play in the tournaments the PCB is organising. The buck stops with PCB. They have to make sure that players are available,” Bakht stated during an interview.
Expressing his dissatisfaction, Bakht further emphasized that Naqvi needs to be more assertive. “This shouldn’t happen. Mohsin Naqvi needs to be strict. He comes off as a polite person, but he needs to change his ways. You have to ask what is happening. Be strict. Stop their central contracts,” he added.
Rizwan, who usually prioritizes domestic cricket when there are no international assignments, has decided to play club cricket this time. He recently returned after performing Umrah in Mecca and chose to relax before heading to New Zealand for the upcoming three-match ODI series.
Meanwhile, Rizwan, Babar Azam, and Naseem Shah were left out of Pakistan’s squad for the ongoing five-match T20 series against New Zealand. With a relatively new team in place, Pakistan suffered a significant nine-wicket defeat in the first match of the series.
In preparation for the ODI series against New Zealand, PCB announced on Tuesday that nine players from the squad will participate in a short training camp at the Lahore City Cricket Association ground until Friday.
