Former Pakistan cricket captain Javed Miandad has said that the sport would continue to suffer in the country until favouritism, locally termed by many cricket lovers as “parchi”, ends.

“Deserving cricketers would be out and parchi will be playing so we are suffering from this,” he told Aaj News at the trophy unveiling ceremony of the tape ball cricket tournament in Karachi earlier week.

He was of the view that departmental cricket was the “best”, as the most talented competed against each other while representing departments. “Karadar Sb brought this system as associations are not fair. Cricket is run on phone calls,” he said and lamented the way the sport was being operated in the country.

Miandad, who was part of the side that won Pakistan’s maiden World Cup in 1992, added that the national cricketers should realize that cricket was their “bread and butter” and that they were being paid for playing for the country.

“Players become part of the team on the basis of their performance. We have also played for 15 to 20 years with the same approach,” he said and added that in-form players of well-played cricketers should be given an opportunity.

“No one can evict you from the team if you are performing well,” he said and warned that the level of national cricket would go below the par if no one looked after it.