Former Pakistan pacer Bakht calls for strict action against Rizwan and Babar

Dubai: The debate over players prioritising international commitments over domestic cricket has been brewing in both India and Pakistan. But while India recently enforced stricter participation rules, the controversy is hitting fever pitch in Pakistan.

Former fast bowler Sikander Bakht has openly criticised Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam for skipping the National T20 Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) premier domestic Twenty20 tournament. His calls for accountability come in the wake of Pakistan’s disastrous Champions Trophy campaign, where the hosts and defending champions failed to win a single game.

Rizwan and Babar struggled for runs during the Champions Trophy, with Pakistan suffering defeats to India and New Zealand, while their match against Bangladesh ended in a no result. The two senior players have now been left out of the squad for the ongoing T20 series in New Zealand, where the Green Shirts are trailing 2-0. However, they are set to rejoin the squad for the One-Day Internationals.

Bakht, known for his candid opinions, has called for firm measures against players who choose to skip domestic competitions, even suggesting that their central contracts should be revoked.

“They are employees of the Pakistan Cricket Board. They get Rs60 lakh (Rs6 million) per month, so they must play in the tournaments the PCB is organising. The PCB has to make sure that players are available,” Bakht said in a conversation with Super Geo.

“If you are playing club cricket and not playing the tournament the board has organised, it means you are insulting the PCB. This shouldn’t happen. Mohsin Naqvi needs to be strict. He comes off as a polite person, but he needs to change his ways. You have to ask what is happening. Be strict. Stop their central contracts,” Bakht concluded.