Faheem Ashraf makes stunning statement on umpiring in Pakistan raising concerns over the state of cricket in Pakistan again.
Faheem Ashraf, the 17-time Test, 34-time ODI, and 48-time T20I player has released some shocking information regarding the condition of cricket in the nation. Ashraf—a Dolphins player—answered a highly thought-provoking question regarding the contentious umpiring in the domestic Champions Cup. As they are “friends,” he claimed that umpires and players have an understanding at the national level.
“All the good umpires in Pakistan are gone from domestic cricket. Umpiring in domestic cricket is also like this (poor) but because there is no TV coverage, no one has the idea. In domestic, sometimes the batters say that they are not out even after getting out, while the bowlers say the opposite. Now (with the Champions Cup) everyone knows at what level umpiring is in Pakistan. Good or bad, everyone knows now. Those who are appointing them have to see now who should be umpiring at what level,” Faheem Ashraf told the media.
“In domestic cricket, umpires ke saath dosti yaari hai (we are friends with the umpires). Hum umpire se bach jaate hai aur woh humara no. le lete hai. (Sometimes we get saved by umpires even take our phone numbers). I am talking straight). But there is no friendship here (in the Champions Cup) because everything is on the (TV) screen. Everybody is watching.”
According to sources who spoke with Geo News, Pakistan’s head coach for white-ball cricket, Gary Kirsten, underlined the need of playing the same style of cricket at home as is necessary to succeed on the international stage.
In Faisalabad, Kirsten got to know the head coaches and mentors of the teams competing in Pakistan’s domestic Champions Cup. The five mentors in the Champions Cup are Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, and Waqar Younis. Aspects of cricket were covered during the discussion, according to sources who spoke with Geo News. Directors of High Performance and the Champions Cup, Nadeem Khan, and high-performance coach David Reid were present.