Azhar Ali Advocates for the Revival of Departmental Cricket in Pakistan

Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has called for the revival of departmental cricket, emphasizing its critical role in nurturing talent. He believes that the discontinuation of these teams has contributed to the decline of Pakistan's international cricket. Ali highlights the need for stability within the cricketing structure and criticizes the PCB's frequent policy changes. His remarks come after the PCB's decision to remove two departmental teams from the upcoming domestic season, raising concerns about the future of young players in Pakistan. Discover more about Ali's insights and the implications for cricket in Pakistan.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 15, 2026, 23:46 IST

Call for Departmental Cricket's Revival

Former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, Azhar Ali, has emphasized the importance of reinstating departmental cricket, asserting that it has been instrumental in nurturing talent within the country.

Ali argues that the decision to discontinue departmental teams has negatively impacted Pakistan's performance on the international stage, labeling these teams as the primary source of talent development.

He expressed concern that this vital system is being neglected once again and highlighted the necessity of its restoration for the future of cricket in Pakistan.

“Departmental cricket is essential for Pakistan,” Azhar stated. “It has significantly contributed to our cricketing success. The closure of these teams a few years back has, in my opinion, led to the current decline in our international cricket. It took a long time for departmental cricket to recover, and now it seems to be sidelined again,” he remarked, as reported by a sports media outlet.

Ali criticized the instability within the cricketing framework of the country, noting that the elimination of departmental cricket has compelled some young talents to seek opportunities abroad, as they no longer envision a future in Pakistan.

He also raised concerns regarding the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) frequent policy changes, suggesting that such alterations indicate that previous decisions may not have been sound.

“I’ve witnessed young players leaving Pakistan after the abolition of departmental cricket because they felt there was no future for them here. At the PCB, we seem to believe we are never wrong, yet the constant changes imply that there have been mistakes,” he added.

Ali's comments come in light of the PCB's recent decision to eliminate two departmental teams from the upcoming 2026-27 domestic season, citing their failure to meet new regulations, which included a significant increase in participation fees.

Among the teams affected was WAPDA, a historic and well-established team in Pakistan's domestic cricket, which also held the title of defending champions in their respective first-class competition.

Sahir Associates chose to withdraw instead of accepting the new conditions, while Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), another prominent departmental team and the one through which Azhar himself rose to prominence, was reportedly close to withdrawing but ultimately decided to participate.