Sialkot Stallions deserve a chance in the Champions League T20: Shoaib Malik – Cricket News Update
Sialkot Stallions' skipper, Shoaib Malik, has requested the Pakistan Cricket Board to pursue the cause of the domestic team’s participation in the Champions League T20.
“I hope PCB follows this up with the organisers and efforts are made to give Sialkot Stallions a chance to represent their country in the Champions League,” Malik said.
“It is disappointing and sad. Sialkot is a terrific Twenty20 team,” Malik said. “We never got an opportunity to represent Pakistan in the Champions League and prove its worth against the domestic T20 champions of other countries. I think the players deserve
a chance to play against the best and prove themselves.”
Malik, who was recently snubbed by selectors for the recently wrapped-up Asia Cup (following a mediocre performance against England earlier this year), led his domestic side to a 8-wicket win in the Faysal Bank Super Eight T-20 Cup.
While they ended up losing the toss in the final against the Karachi Dolphins, the Stallions went on to restrict their opponents to 167 owing mainly to an impressive 4-wicket haul by Raza Hasan. The Stallions’ innings were anchored by Haris Sohail (55) and
skipper Malik (62), who succeeded in powering their side to victory.
With a couple of brilliant performances under their belt, the Stallions would seem to be viable contenders for the cash-rich Champions league. However, following the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks which led to strained relations between Pakistan and India,
and consequently the BCCI and PCB, the Men In Green have found themselves excluded from both the Indian Premier League, and the Champions League Twenty20.
Pointing out that Pakistan was the holder of two World titles, Malik stressed that it was unreasonable for the BCCI to ignore them exclusively.
“The onus is on the ICC. They are the governing body and they have to step up to maintain the equilibrium in cricket world,” he suggested.
PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf’s attempts to bring about a revival of cricketing ties between the two countries have so far been unsuccessful. The board’s chief operating officer, Subhan Ahmed, recently stated that while the participation of their players in lucrative
leagues was desirable, it would be unreasonable to run after the BCCI with such a request. He instead stressed the need for the resumption of Indo-Pak cricket, which in turn would fix all other issues.