Sindh threatens separate cricket board over player discrimination

Sindh provincial sports minister, Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mahar, stirred controversy ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy by threatening to establish a separate cricket board for Sindh if local players continue to be denied their rightful opportunities.

Speaking at the opening of the provincial youth conference organised by the Sindh government, Mahar expressed his dissatisfaction with the current treatment of Sindh cricketers, Express News reported.

He stated that they were not being given their due recognition and chances in the national team. He emphasised that cricket is not just for Punjab or Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but is a sport deeply rooted in Sindh as well.

He further claimed that many Sindh players who had the potential to make it to the national team were instead being left behind, with no chance of representing the country despite their merit.

Mahar mentioned that Sindh’s cricketers often found themselves sidelined, "sitting in the dugout while others play," and that the province would make its voice heard by forming its own cricket board if the situation did not improve.

On Saturday, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the much-anticipated squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 and tri-nation series, featuring Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa, with Fakhar Zaman making a comeback to the team.

The prestigious tournament will kick off on February 19 and run until March 9.

In a statement released by the board, four changes were made to the 15-player squad that last competed in South Africa’s ODI series late in 2024.

Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, and Sufyan Moqim have been replaced by Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, and Saud Shakeel.

Mohammad Rizwan will captain the squad, with Salman Ali Agha named vice-captain. The squad includes three members from the 2017 Champions Trophy-winning team—Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, and Fakhar Zaman.

Pakistan Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (Captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.