{"id":22983,"date":"2026-09-11T14:05:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T14:05:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=22983"},"modified":"2026-09-11T14:05:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T14:05:05","slug":"he-rejected-it-outright-former-pcb-chief-selector-blames-imran-khans-domestic-overhaul-for-pakistan-crickets-downfall-cricket-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=22983","title":{"rendered":"\u2018He rejected it outright\u2019: Former PCB chief selector blames Imran Khan\u2019s domestic overhaul for Pakistan cricket\u2019s downfall | Cricket News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134070419,imgsize-60534,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/imran-khan.jpg\" alt=\"\u2018He rejected it outright\u2019: Former PCB chief selector blames Imran Khan\u2019s domestic overhaul for Pakistan cricket\u2019s downfall\" title=\"Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (PTI Photo)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (PTI Photo)\">Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (PTI Photo)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Former Pakistan chief selector and head coach <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/haroon-rasheed\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Haroon Rasheed<\/a> believes the decline of Pakistan cricket can be traced back to the sweeping domestic-structure changes introduced during <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/imran-khan\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Imran Khan<\/a>\u2019s tenure as Prime Minister, claiming the former Pakistan captain rejected a proposed hybrid model in favour of drastically reducing the number of first-class teams.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/>Haroon, who was part of a task force formed to examine Pakistan\u2019s domestic structure during Imran\u2019s time in office, recalled that the group had proposed retaining departmental teams alongside a streamlined provincial system. But according to him, Imran was unwilling to accept the plan.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/>\u201cI was part of the cricket board and task force and I remember when we met with Imran we submitted a hybrid domestic cricket model. <!-- -->But he rejected it outright,\u201d Haroon said on a podcast on the \u2018Smash It\u2019 sports channel.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/>Imran, Pakistan\u2019s 1992 World Cup-winning captain, became Prime Minister in 2018 after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf won the general elections. He remained in office until being voted out in 2022.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>\u2018You have to listen to the Prime Minister\u2019<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"19\"\/>Pakistan\u2019s first-class structure was subsequently reduced from a system involving 10-16 teams to just five teams, with the revamp modelled partly on Australia\u2019s domestic system. Departmental cricket was also removed as provincial cricket became the central structure.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>Haroon said the task force had initially recommended a compromise.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>\u201cHow much time do you think a Prime Minister can give? We were ordered to submit a revised domestic cricket plan and we did that and it was a hybrid one,\u201d he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>\u201cI remember we told Imran that the hybrid model was best for our cricket as while we had reduced teams to eight but we had kept the participation of departmental teams in domestic cricket.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"30\"\/>However, Haroon said Imran wanted an even more radical reduction.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"32\"\/>\u201cBut Imran in his short meeting with us rejected the hybrid model and said he didn&#8217;t want eight but a maximum five to six teams in the domestic structure. We told him it would be better to gradually switch to a new domestic structure but eventually you have to listen to the Prime Minister,\u201d Haroon recalled.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/>\u201cHe might have meant well but it didn\u2019t work out for Pakistan cricket.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"37\"\/>Haroon, who held several positions at the PCB before leaving in 2020, including chief selector, head coach and head of high performance and development, said the change ultimately hurt the depth of Pakistan cricket.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"39\"\/>\u201cWe changed the domestic structure making it provincial cricket and leaving out departments but I personally feel it was a wrong decision and it led to a downslide in our cricket standards,\u201d he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"42\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>India\u2019s domestic model cited as the alternative<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"44\"\/>Haroon contrasted Pakistan\u2019s approach with India\u2019s domestic system, arguing that the depth created by multiple competitions has played an important role in India\u2019s rise.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>\u201cPeople talk about the IPL but forget that in India they still have the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and their state level associations are independent and have their own regular domestic events at club level,\u201d he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"49\"\/>Haroon believes Pakistan now needs to reverse the centralisation of its cricket administration.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>\u201cIn Pakistan now all powers are with the PCB which needs to decentralise power and give more independence to regional associations and departments as was the case in the past.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"53\"\/>His comments come amid continuing debate over the state of Pakistan cricket, with former players and officials increasingly questioning the country\u2019s domestic pathway and administration.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/cricket\/news\/he-rejected-it-outright-former-pcb-chief-selector-blames-imran-khans-domestic-overhaul-for-pakistan-crickets-downfall\/articleshow\/134070265.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan (PTI Photo) Former Pakistan chief selector and head coach Haroon Rasheed believes the decline of Pakistan cricket can be traced back to the sweeping domestic-structure changes introduced during Imran Khan\u2019s tenure as Prime Minister, claiming the former Pakistan captain rejected a proposed hybrid model in favour of drastically reducing the 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Pakistan PM Imran Khan (PTI Photo) Former Pakistan chief selector and head coach Haroon Rasheed believes the decline of Pakistan cricket can be traced back to the sweeping domestic-structure changes introduced during Imran Khan\u2019s tenure as Prime Minister, claiming the former Pakistan captain rejected a proposed hybrid model in favour of drastically reducing the [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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