First-class cricketer Fazal Subhan had a shocker of PKR 1.7mn after ‘fraudster’ Khalid Haroon showed him the dream of representing the Ireland cricket team. “Khalid told me of getting a two-year contract from Ireland Cricket,” he said. “He asked for bank accounts and took money online, all the evidence is with me,” he added. “I took a loan and sold my land and jewelry for a bright future. Security agencies help me, debtors are harassing me,” he expressed his disappointment. Fazal has represented Pakistan A, U19 and various other first-class sides. He played in all national events including Quaid-e-Azam (QeA) Trophy.
He has played 39 first-class games, 29 List-A games and 6 T20s from 2006-2017. He is a right-handed batter having five first-class centuries. Few years ago, a video of Fazal working as a mini-van pickup driver had gone viral. The cricket fraternity reacted to the ‘heart-breaking’ video after the new system was introduced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).Mohammad Hafeez questioned PCB for introducing the new model which has sought an overhaul of developmental cricket in the country. The 38-year-old all-rounder wrote on Twitter, “So sad Really, Like him & (sic) Many others are suffering, New system will look after 200 players but 1000s of cricketers & management staff are unemployed because of this new model.” “I don’t know who will take the responsibility of this unemployment of cricket fraternity, for all the victims,” he added.
The domestic structure of the PCB can be broken down into two main tournaments – Quaid-e-Azam Cup and the Patron’s Trophy. The Quaid-e-Azam Cup is based on regionally associated teams while the Patron’s Trophy comprises of teams based on departments such as organisations or companies like banks, gas and electricity suppliers. In August, 2019 Pakistan’s federal cabinet took the decision to abolish departmental system and develop a structure similar to the one in Australia instead. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had himself dissolved departmental cricket to focus more on the six-regional first-class team structure for the betterment of the national side, but inadvertently, in their economic condition, the idea has backfired on thousands of Pakistani cricketers who have now fallen by the way side.
