Pakistan declares war on Jay Shah’s two-tier Test plan in explosive new cricket rift
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According to reports from the Pakistani media personnel, Saleem Khaliq, PCB, and the Pakistan team are set to officially oppose the implementation of the ICC's proposed two-tier Test System.
The ICC, after its annual meeting this month, proposed a plan to consider having the Test format divided into a two-tier system, separating the top 6 ranked teams from the lower-ranked sides, which would consolidate power for the top-ranked nations in Tests.
The Pakistan Cricket Team has not had the best of records in the longest format of the game, as they have never made it to the top 5 teams in the WTC and are hence leading the chart among teams that are looking to oppose the ICC's proposition.
PCB to oppose ICC plans for evolution of Test cricket
The PCB, along with several other cricket boards from among the full-member nations, is expected to oppose the proposal by expressing strong concerns ahead of the next ICC meetings.
The ICC proposal stated that the two-division format would limit the top-level Test action to a selected group of six top-ranked teams, while leaving out the rest, including Pakistan, who are now ranked 7th, falling into the second tier.
This change would not only deprive Pakistan of cricket action in the traditional format of the game but also reduce financial incentives and give them limited visibility on the global stage.
The PCB reports have claimed that they oppose any such proposition that looks to divide the nations into 'elite' and 'non-elite' categories, which undermines the spirit of equality in international cricket.
The ICC has been firm on its stand that such a model would increase competitiveness and fan interest; the opposers, like PCB, think it would widen the gaps between others and the so-called big 3—India, Australia, and England.
Pakistan opposed such a move back in 2016
Pakistan, or the PCB, opposing the two-tiered Test structure, is not something new, as a similar proposal made back in 2016 was opposed by the PCB alongside several other cricket boards like Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
They believe that every full member nation should continue to have equal rights and access to the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) calendar, regardless of current form or financial might. Though this claim seems childish, performance should always be a decisive factor in competitive cricket.
This time around, the idea of two divisions in Test cricket has resurfaced with backing from some members within the ICC and top broadcasting stakeholders who are reported to believe that fewer Test games would make them more commercially viable.
However, the PCB is positive about receiving backing from other cricket boards once again in opposing the ICC's decision, especially from the nations whose stakes in the international format would also be risked by the proposition.
Pakistan ranks 7th in the current ICC Test Rankings
The national cricket team of Pakistan is currently placed in the 7th position among the top 12 full member nations of the ICC who participate in Test Cricket. Of them, the Top 9 are part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle.
They have had a humiliating experience in the red-ball format ever since the beginning of the World Test Championship, as a result of which they are ranked the lowest among well-known cricket nations with a rating of just 78 and 1705 points, much lower than their predecessor, Sri Lanka.
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Pakistan National Cricket Team ICC Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ICC World Test Championship ICC Test Rankings Jay Shah
