Pakistan cricketer Subhan drives a pickup truck to make a living after PCB shut down departmental cricket teams.
Ever since introducing the new domestic system, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been criticized time and time again, as the model left many jobless and create an economic crisis for the cricket community.
The unemployment forced many cricketers to find another way to make a living and First-Class cricketer Fazal Subhan’s heart-breaking story shows how the cricket community is suffering in Pakistan.
Recently, a video shared by a sports journalist on social media has been making headlines, which shows Subhan driving a Suzuki pickup in Karachi to make a living. As soon as the video went viral, many criticized the PCB, questioning the new model which was applied for overhauling and developing cricket in the country, but has actually brought unemployment.
Joining the chorus, all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez shared the video on Twitter and expressed disappointment at the current state of domestic cricketers in the country. He tweeted, “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.”
Meanwhile, in the video, Subhan admitted: “Yes, I drive this [pickup] for bhara (fare). This is seasonal work. Some days there is a lot of work, and sometimes there is nothing for 10 days,” Fazal told the reporter while sitting behind the wheels of his rented pickup van.”
He signed off by saying, “I worked so hard to play for Pakistan. During departmental cricket, we were drawing a salary of Rs 100,000 but since the departments have shut down, we are down to Rs 30,000-35,000, which is not enough to survive. I am grateful that at least I have this job right now because of the way things are, who knows if I would even have this tomorrow. We have no choice; we have to do something for our children.”
Noteworthy, Subhan has played 40 first-class matches, and went on to score 2,301 runs at an average of 32.87, while scored 659 runs in 29 List A matches in his domestic career so far.