Ahmed Shehzad rebukes PCB over 'favouritism' and 'injustice', pulls out of Cricket Champions Cup

Ahmed Shahzad (Pic: Reuters)

Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Cricket Champions Cup. The 32-year-old player took to the social media platform X to voice his frustration and disillusionment with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Shehzad accused the PCB of "favoritism, false promises, and injustice" towards domestic players.

Shehzad's decision comes just weeks before the inaugural edition of the Champions Cup, a new tournament in Pakistan's domestic cricket calendar designed to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket. Scheduled to run from September 12 to 29, the tournament will feature matches across the 50-over, T20, and red-ball formats.

"With a heavy heart, I've decided not to play in the Domestic Cricket Champions Cup. PCB's favoritism, false promises, and injustice towards domestic players are unacceptable," wrote Shahzad.

He did not hold back in his criticism, particularly targeting the Pakistan Cricket Board's financial decisions amid the country's ongoing economic struggles.

"In a time when Pakistan is struggling with inflation, poverty, and massive electricity bills, the PCB is wasting 5 million Rs on mentors for doing nothing and rewarding failed players in the current team who brought Pakistan cricket to an all-time low," he added.

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The tournament will feature five teams - Dolphins, Lions, Panthers, Stallions, and Wolves - with Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, and Waqar Younis serving as team mentors. However, Shehzad's criticism extends beyond just the mentors, as he condemned the PCB's lack of support for domestic players.

"It's even more disrespectful that the PCB claims they don't have ‘instruments for surgery' which is a huge disrespect for domestic players. As a Pakistani and true cricket lover, I cannot support a system that has no value for merit. I refuse to be a part of this failed setup."

This is not the first instance of Shehzad expressing dissatisfaction with Pakistan cricket. Following Pakistan's early exit from the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA, Shehzad publicly criticized the team's performance. He accused certain players of prioritizing personal achievements over national interest and even called for the removal of key players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Haris Rauf.

Shehzad's international career has been significant. In Test cricket, he has played 13 matches, accumulating 982 runs at an average of 40.92. In One-Day Internationals, he has competed in 81 games, scoring 2,605 runs at an average of 32.56. In T20 Internationals, he has made 59 appearances, amassing 1,471 runs at an average of 25.81.