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 Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq blamed the cricket board`s neglect of departmental cricket responsible for the slide in Pakistan cricket and failure to produce top class players. By pushing back departments and restructuring first class cricket the board has committed a grave mistake. We were on top of the world in 1992 and 1999 because we followed the departmental cricket system the former Test batsman said and we need to follow the same system we used in the past and support departmental cricket.

 Since that system has been abolished quality players have stopped coming up he said. Inzamam said he was not against having region based domestic cricket but the positive of having departments and banks play domestic competitions was that players got employment and had to compete for places against strong opposition. In regional cricket there is disparity between the teams in terms of players strength and that is harming our domestic cricket. We have to revert back to promoting departmental cricket or we will not be able to produce players of the caliber of a Javed Miandad or Wasim Akram Inzamam said & Former captain Imran Khan has been one of the biggest supporters of having region based domestic cricket and has been vocal in his opposition to allowing departments and banks take part in 1^st lass cricket but Inzamam noted that it was because of departments that standard of domestic cricket was high and players got a chance to shine at the top level. We should promote regional cricket but at the same time need to enhance status of departmental cricket. There should be competition between the 2 he said. Inzamam himself was first picked for Pakistan after a record breaking year for United bank which had spotted him at the junior level. Last season, the cricket board introduced monthly retainers and match fees for players appearing for regional associations in domestic tournaments and from this season has allowed teams to even have one or 2 overseas guest players to enhance the quality of domestic competitions. Inzamam said unless the domestic structure was improved Pakistan would struggle to win against big teams. What is of concern is that in last two years we have not played a series to our potential. We do win one match here and there but not a full-fledged series and this is a very serious issue. He also called for the induction of senior professional cricketers into the board. The board is involving former players at the coaching level and in some administrative positions but by and large there is a need to have senior player involved in the running of the game in the country the former captain who had played 120 Tests and 378 one-dayers said.

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Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq on Tuesday offered to talk to players considering a boycott of Septembers Champions Trophy saying he would help to allay their security concerns and the International Cricket Council ICC announced last week that the tournament would stay in Pakistan prompting fears of a boycott by non-Asian countries which opposed the decision. If a player has any concern I am happy to talk to them Inzamam who retired from international cricket last year told reporters as someone who has played at the highest level I would never advise cricketers to put their lives or careers at stake. But I firmly believe Pakistan is a safe place to play cricket and the players should trust the ICC the PCB Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistan government he said. Defending champions Australia along with New Zealand and England, have expressed doubts over security arrangements for the September 11-28 tournament with players associations urging a boycott but Inzamam said any pull-out would be damaging not just for Pakistan but also for world cricket. The players have to understand and realise that if they pull out it will not help the cause of cricket, it may devalue an important tournament and stop the development process in Pakistan he said. Pakistan is a sport loving country and by pulling out they will be denying the opportunity to millions of local supporters who want to see them in action said Inzamam, who played 120 Tests and 378 one-dayers for Pakistan. Inzamam hailed the ICC`s decision and said outside perceptions of Pakistan formed by news reports of bombings and Islamic militant violence could be deceptive. There are always two sides to the picture and I think the players need to see the other side of the picture to get to the bottom of the reasons for these acts of violence. They are not attempted or targeted at cricketers he said. In the past domestic competitions have been played during those tough times and never has a cricketer or a sportsman been affected by them. He added that the ICC has shown great support for Pakistan and has proved they did not want to isolate a country which has been deprived of some valuable cricket in recent past. The ICC has appointed a task force to ensure that Pakistan implements a full security plan for the biennial event regarded as cricket`s second major tournament after the World Cup. Former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed said he was ready to offer advice to any international waverers. A player understands another player`s language so I am ready to convince players from England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa that it is safe to play cricket in Pakistan. No one is going to target cricket said Mushtaq and I think the whole world is quite unsafe compared to maybe seven years ago. But that doesn`t mean that we should stop our routine lives the show must go on and it is the responsibility of everyone to beat terrorism he added.

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