SSGC ‘withdraws' from President's Trophy

KARACHI: Efforts to fully restore departmental cricket in the country faced a dent on Tuesday when Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGC) reportedly informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that they were withdrawing from the department’s first-class tournament “President's Trophy”.

The tournament is scheduled to start on December 16. Other than SSGC, teams from WAPDA, KRL, State Bank, HEC, SNGPL and Ghani Glass were slotted to take part in the 8-team tournament.

At least two officials in PCB confirmed to Geo News that SSGC has informed them about the decision to withdraw from the tournament. However, they are waiting for them to provide the update in writing.

A source close to the department told this correspondent that the sports department of SSGC had completed all preparations, including the signing of top cricketers but the senior management has decided against fielding the team due to budget constraints.

"As you know the SSGC is a public sector utility company listed on the country's stock exchange. So, with the inception of the winter season, the utility's top priority is to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies to its over three million customers," said the SSGC spokesperson.

"The management is focused on serving its customers while combating tough challenges in the backdrop of widening demand and supply gap."

Hence, there is less focus on other activities including sports, the spokesman said.

The SSGC is pursuing sports activities in a limited manner, which is why the utility has withdrawn its cricket team from this tournament.

It should be mentioned here that SSGC has recently been crowned as National Champions after winning the National Cycling Championship in Lahore with its cyclists setting up new national records.

Department cricket was discontinued during PTI's government and PCB had adopted the structure of six regional teams. The domestic structure took a reverse gear when Shahbaz Sharif led PDM government took charge and Najam Sethi was named chairman of the PCB management committee.

Earlier this year, the PCB announced to organise separate first-class tournaments for regions and departments

Though PCB on multiple occasions had claimed that “several departments” have agreed to restore their teams, the fact remains that the authorities displayed lesser interest.

Sources have confirmed that departments like National Bank, KPT, and PQA had also declined to participate in the event earlier. The PCB will now work on re-drawing for the tournament.