The 32-year-old cricketer took to the social media platform \u2018X\u2019 to express his frustration and disappointment with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), accusing the governing body of \u201cfavoritism, false promises, and injustice\u201d towards domestic players.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shehzad\u2019s decision comes just weeks before the inaugural edition of the Champions Cup, a new tournament in Pakistan\u2019s domestic cricket calendar aimed at bridging the gap between domestic and international cricket. The tournament, scheduled to be played from September 12-29, will include a series of matches across the 50-over, T20, and red-ball formats.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWith a heavy heart, I\u2019ve decided not to play in the Domestic Cricket Champions Cup. PCB\u2019s favoritism, false promises, and injustice towards domestic players are unacceptable,\u201d wrote Shahzad. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
The outspoken cricketer did not hold back in his criticism, particularly targeting the PCB\u2019s financial decisions amid the country\u2019s ongoing economic struggles. \u201cIn a time when Pakistan is struggling with inflation, poverty, and massive electricity bills, the PCB is wasting 5 million Rs on mentors for doing nothing and rewarding failed players in the current team who brought Pakistan cricket to an all-time low,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The tournament will feature five teams\u2014Dolphins, Lions, Panthers, Stallions, and Wolves\u2014with Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, and Waqar Younis serving as team mentors. However, Shehzad\u2019s criticism extends beyond just the mentors, as he condemned the PCB\u2019s lack of support for domestic players.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s even more disrespectful that the PCB claims they don\u2019t have \u2018instruments for surgery\u2019 which is a huge disrespect for domestic players. As a Pakistani and true cricket lover, I cannot support a system that has no value for merit. I refuse to be a part of this failed setup.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This isn\u2019t the first time Shehzad has voiced his discontent with the current state of Pakistan cricket. Following Pakistan\u2019s early exit from the 2024 Men\u2019s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA, Shehzad publicly criticized the team\u2019s performance and accused certain players of prioritizing personal milestones over the country\u2019s interests. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
He even demanded the sacking of key players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Haris Rauf.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This isn\u2019t the first time Shehzad has voiced his discontent with the current state of Pakistan cricket. Following Pakistan\u2019s early exit from the 2024 Men\u2019s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA, Shehzad publicly criticized the team\u2019s performance and accused certain players of prioritizing personal milestones over the country\u2019s interests. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> Funding For Test Cricket<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n