Former cricketer Ahmad Shahzad has accused the Pakistan Cricket Board of using his name to create “pre-hype” for the Pakistan Super League, which would begin in April.

“PSL 10 is going to happen, and the interesting thing is that I’m supposedly playing. For the past few days, it feels like I’m part of PSL again. Are you happy now with the hype? Why don’t you focus on the players you’ve prioritised over the last four to five years?” he said in a video statement which was uploaded on his YouTube channel on Sunday.

In 2023, Shahzad parted ways with the country’s T20 cricket league after not being picked by any of the six franchises in the player drafting.

He had alleged that it was a “deliberate effort” to keep him out of the league despite “giving it all in domestic circuit consistently” in the last few years.

The right-hand batter voiced his frustration, accusing the board of using his name for promotional purposes. He described the PCB’s actions as a calculated move to create buzz ahead of the tournament.

“PSL 10 is approaching, and it seems like I’m supposedly playing. For the past few days, it’s felt like I’m part of PSL again. Are you satisfied with the hype now? Why not focus on the players you’ve prioritized over the last four to five years?” Shehzad questioned.

The 33-year-old reiterated his commitment to his decision to step away from the league, emphasising the importance of merit in Pakistan cricket.

He claimed that the league did not achieve its target as the founders wanted it to be among the top leagues where cricketers join the PSL not after their retirement or lose near the end of their career.

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Shahzad, who used to open for the national team, alleged that the teams were handed over to the incompetent people who ruined the cricket.

“Now only retired players come to play for you,” he said and used the term “discard” for them. “We will not just allow you to play but give you a lot of money.”

He alleged that the PSL was in the hands of “inexperienced” and “naïve” people.

He did not point out that no player from Quetta was seen in the franchise and claimed that the league built any stadium nor did anything for the players in the province.