ISLAMABAD, Oct 20: Pakistan can produce as good a team within three years as Australia's current lot provided the domestic cricket set-up is changed, former cricket star Imran Khan said on Thursday.

“I can say with confidence that we will have at least as strong a team in three years as the contemporary Australians if the domestic cricket structure is changed,” Imran said in an interview.

He pointed out that authorities in the country were still persisting with department-based domestic cricket competitions rather than region-based.

“Nowhere in the world sponsors (departments) field their own teams in first class competition,” he pointed out.

The 1992 World-Cup-winning captain said that there was a huge gap between quality of first class cricket in Pakistan and international cricket.

“A player making debut at the international level for Pakistan finds it difficult to adjust.

“It is all because of the domestic cricket structure which has not been converted to region-based competitions,” the former all-rounder said.

“In Australia, for example, there is little gap in the quality of first class cricket and international cricket,” Imran said.

He suggested that there should be six to seven teams in first grade of first-class cricket and they play each other. There should also be system of relegation and promotion from first to second grade and vice versa.—APP