Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi's idea of having a One-Day domestic tournament Champions Cup was to widen the talent pool to pick players from. The Champions Cup ended with Shadab Khan-led Panthers winning the title on September 29 but out-of-favour Ahmed Shehzad feels that the tournament was a 'huge mistake' and 'waste of money'. Shehzad mocked PCB asking if they have been able to find a player with the talent of legendary Don Bradman.
"Where is the talent that everyone was cheering for, saying that this tournament had brought out a lot of talent? We didn’t see anyone stand out. It’s just the same old 8-10 faces we always talk about, and they’re the only ones we’re seeing. If a Bradman has come along that we somehow missed, please let us know. It’s the same players going in circles, and those are your tools. You’re not going to get anything else," said Shehzad on his YouTube channel.
Once again, Shehzad called out PCB for favouritism. He went on to say that the current structure is nothing more than a tragedy.
"You’ve only wasted money. Hosting this tournament [Champions Cup] was a huge mistake, but no one is going to admit it. No one will raise their hand. The people you’ve recruited through favoritism in domestic cricket won’t say anything. Everyone will pass the blame onto someone else. This is the tragedy of your cricket, and this is how the structure of your cricket is operating," he added.
Star performers of Champions Cup
Usman Khan who played T20 World Cup 2024 and is yet to make ODI debut was the top-scorer with 272 runs from six innings. He was followed by Kamran Ghulam (250 runs), Tayyab Tahir (249 runs) who are already established names in domestic cricket. In the bowling department, fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain topped the charts with 17 wickets.
Pakistan search for a Test win at home
Under the leadership of Shan Masood, Pakistan lost a historic Test series at home against Bangladesh. Their next challenge at home will be against England. They are in desperate need of a Test win at home.
