President’s Trophy Kick-off As SSGC Pulls Out Claiming Cricket 'not A Top Priority'

President’s Trophy kick-off as SSGC pulls out claiming cricket 'not a top priority' (Image Source: IANS)

Sui Southern Gas Pipelines: Pakistan President’s Trophy, which began on December 16 and is scheduled to be played till January 31, 2024, is having its share of drama and challenges with a top side pulling out of the competition just before the start of the event.

Days before the tournament's scheduled kickoff, a major setback occurred as Sui Southern Gas Pipelines (SSGC), a prominent departmental side, abruptly withdrew from the competition, arguing that running a cricket team was not a top priority at the moment.

Citing other priorities that took precedence over managing a cricket team, SSGC left a void in the tournament, raising eyebrows and concerns among cricket enthusiasts.

"As you know the SSGC is a public-sector utility company listed on the country's stock exchange," an SSCG spokesperson told Geo News, which broke the story.

"So, with the inception of the winter season, the utility's top priority is to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies to its over three million customers. The management is focused on serving its customers while combating tough challenges in the backdrop of widening demand-and-supply gap."

Notable players like Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Abrar Ahmed, and Khurram Shahzad, though unlikely to participate due to international commitments, added to the roster's prestige.

This departure left the tournament with seven sides, including cricket powerhouses such as Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), and Khan Research Laboratories (KRL).

The revival of the tournament itself was a consequence of Najam Sethi's return to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as chairman, succeeding Ramiz Raja. Sethi, leading an interim administration, aimed to restore the 2014 PCB constitution and reintegrate departments into the cricketing landscape.

In the not-so-distant past, departments like Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Habib Bank (HBL) were instrumental in the domestic cricket setup for nearly five decades.

They provided players with stable incomes and the promise of employment post-retirement. However, in 2018, the landscape changed under the influence of Prime Minister Imran Khan, also the PCB patron.

His vision led to a restructuring of domestic cricket, adopting a Sheffield Shield-style format with six province-based teams in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. This move resulted in the disbandment of departmental cricket, leaving players, previously employed and enjoying regular salaries, in a state of uncertainty. Some cricketers even opted to exit the game altogether due to the limited opportunities.

The interim administration under Sethi aimed to rectify this, but his tenure was short-lived as Zaka Ashraf took over until February. With limited power to alter the domestic structure, Ashraf's administration proceeded with the President's Trophy.

Adding to the intrigue were the unannounced regulations governing the tournament, notably limiting first innings to 80 overs. The intention behind this rule was to foster more positive cricket, but it faced criticism, with former Pakistan batter Bazid Khan deeming it "utter nonsense" and suggesting it was "devaluing" the first-class game.