Former Pakistan chief selector and head coach Haroon Rasheed believes Pakistan cricket started going downhill after the domestic structure was changed during Imran Khan’s time as Prime Minister.

Haroon was part of the task force that was formed to review Pakistan’s domestic cricket structure when Imran was Prime Minister. He recalled that the former Pakistan captain wanted the first-class system to be reduced to just five or six teams.

“I 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,” Haroon said on a podcast on the ‘Smash It’ sports channel.

Why is Imran Khan currently in Jail?

Imran was elected Prime Minister in 2018 after his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, won the general elections. He remained in office until he was voted out in 2022 and is currently in Adiala Jail while facing several cases linked to his time in power.

The former Pakistan captain, who led the country to the 1992 World Cup title, wanted a major change to the domestic system. The number of first-class teams was reduced from around 10-16 to just five, following the model used in Australian cricket.

What was Imran Khan's decision?

The decision has been criticised by several former cricketers and analysts, who feel that it affected Pakistan’s domestic cricket system.

Haroon said the task force had initially suggested a different approach but was ultimately asked to follow Imran’s instructions.

“How 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,” Haroon said.

Haroon's involvement in PCB

Haroon remained involved with the Pakistan Cricket Board after his playing career and held several important positions before leaving in 2020. He served as chief selector, selector, head coach, head of high performance and development, and team manager.

“I 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.

“But Imran in his short meeting with us rejected the hybrid model and said he didn’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,” Haroon recalled.

“He might have meant well but it didn’t work out for Pakistan cricket.”

Haroon said the task force was later instructed by then PCB chairman Ehsan Mani to implement the changes wanted by Imran.

“We 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,” Haroon feels.

What is the main reason behind India's cricket rise?

According to Haroon, India’s strong domestic system has played a major role in the country’s rise in international cricket.

“People 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.

“In 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.”