KARACHI, Oct 1: Former Test paceman and Customs chief coach Jalaluddin on Wednesday described inclusion of top teams in the qualifying rounds of the Patron’s Trophy as sheer injustice and said it was like withdrawing first-class rights of the leading teams.

In a letter to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Jalal stated it was shocking that this season first-class status of eight departmental teams has been withdrawn and all the 28 departments are required to play in the qualifying rounds.

He said it will seriously affect the quality of cricket and will not only make it lop-sided in presence of several new and inexperienced teams and will be a further financial burden on the smaller teams having most contractual players.

“This decision has no logic as teams playing in the first-class cricket entered first-class arena by virtue of promotion/relegation rules. They have every right to remain in first-class cricket,” Jalal further said.

He appealed to the PCB chairman, Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, to reconsider the decision for the betterment and maintaining quality of cricket.

Jalal, who had the distinction of performing first ever hat trick in One-day internationals, said quashing of playing status of eight department teams will be detrimental to the promotion of the game in Pakistan.

Teams like PIA, KRL, NBP, HBL, Customs, Wapda, ZTBL and ABL all have to appear in the qualifying rounds which commence from Oct 27. The whole event will be played in the month of Ramazan.

Last date of submitting 20 names with entry fee of Rs 50,000 for the qualifying rounds is fixed as Oct 10.—APP