Abstract

The present study was focused to survey the factors responsible for paucity among national level cricketers. For this purpose, a sample of (n=100) first class cricketers was recruited from the list obtained from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Lahore, Pakistan. The required data were collected with the help of self-structured questionnaires. The collected data were accordingly processed through Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 26. Statistical tests including Pearson correlation, linear regression and t-Test were accordingly applied. The results revealed that available facilities in the shape of grounds, coaches, and financial support significantly correlated with paucity of national level cricketers (.777**, .659**, .561** & p=.000). Likewise, participants having different age group and experience in sport reported no statistically significant difference in existing infrastructural sports facilities and paucity of Cricket (p > .05). Based on these, it has been concluded that the prevailing facilities for first class cricketers needs much more consideration on the part of relevant bodies. It is suggested that the federal and provincial governments may provide all the necessities, especially for the first class cricket players of Baluchistan.

Key Words

Infrastructure, Required Facilities, Paucity, & First-class Cricketers

Introduction

Cricket in Balochistan has never been the priority of any government at the provincial or national level from the very beginning. Promoting cricket and sports activities in Balochistan can be used diplomatically to counter extremist tendencies and trends. Cricket in Balochistan can be used Pad, and this option can bring a better, fresh and additional move, and by using this technique gap between Balochistan and center shall have abridged also. Jam Kamal khan Chief Minister of Balochistan has taken a timely step by approaching national cricketers to utilize their skills to polish up the cricket talent of Balochistan, cricket is a game very much popular sport in Pakistan, and it is equally famous among masses as people love and admire by Football colony we inherited this sports from our previous potentates and masters. Very often cricket, as diplomacy had been used to achieve political targets, especially during General Zia ul Haq's era when literal relations between Pakistan and India were very ten due to various reasons including an incident in Golden Temple and also during General Musharraf's time when hostile and antagonistic relation between arch-rivals India and Pakistan reach to its stop after Kargil episode and cricket, was used to normalize by literal relation at both occasions (Oborne, 2015).

Cricketers of Balochistan have immensez passion but lack facilities and opportunities. As it is claimed that cricketers in the National squad are always selected on merit and players of Balochistan never succeed to acquired positions in the team, there is a dire need for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to provide special grooming to the cricket talents of Balochistan because there is no proper standard cricket ground or cricket coaches academies and this is the reasons why no major tournaments are organized in the province. Cricket is a popular spot in Pakistan people love to watch mates in the stadium and on television screens with rate enthusiasm and passion, especially when the national cricket team placed again opponent players. Right from the very beginning world's best cricketers have emerged from Pakistan and they shocked the world but their talents including IK, Javed Mian Dad, Asif Iqbal, Hanif Muhammad, Zaheer Abass, Waseem Akram, Waqar Yunus, Syed Anwar, Shoib Akhter, and many others. 

All teams left a mark in cricket history but only when they were given a chance by the selective and they cashed the opportunities with their tremendous talents. But it is also affected that all these cricketers hailed from Punjab Province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh urban means Karachi only. Interiors Sindh and Balochistan Players have always been neglected by the selectors as for as the question of selecting young and talented cricketers from these areas is concerned. Regrettably but not a single Baloch or Sindhi cricketers consider or succeed to attract the attention of the selectors despite having tremendous cricket talents. Like many other political factors, to be neglected of sports is also another factor that provokes a sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan. This satiation also created a great sense of deprivation and frustration among all those talented cricketers of Balochistan and Sindh who want to represent the country with their talented players in the national cricket team squad. Unlike Balochistan, every place in the country has been blessed with brilliant cricket grounds and is well-funded for taking out the talents of crickets who would get chances to perform at the national and international levels.

On the other hand, participation in sports requires a safe and appropriate atmosphere where one can do so without difficulty. The participants will secure their involvement by actively participating in sports if the sporting atmosphere is safe (Zia-ul-Islam et al., 2013). The creation of a supportive environment is the first prerequisite for active engagement in sports. Sports require certain criteria, such as enough space, equipment, management, coaching, and training (Zia-Ul-Islam, Roman & Jabeen, 2020). On the other hand, sports are hampered by bad management and poor or inadequate facilities. Sports encounter issues due to unqualified personnel, inadequate facilities, poor management, a lack of skilled coaches, and wrong financial allocation and use (Khan, 2016; Khan, 2017).

Consequently, in most countries of the world, an active and effective sports program is not only emphasized but organized and conducted in a different area of the country. A lot of resources are utilized in sports to enable the youth to enjoy a worthy sports program for their healthy development (Salimi & Khodaparst, 2021). Sports activities have been seen as an instrument for national unity and identity. This role has been epitomized by the annually organized national and provincial championships of different games, which aims at bringing people from various areas together through a healthy sports program.

The current study, which looked at the state of the sports infrastructure and its role as a deficiency, was carried out in Balochistan, a province of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In this field, numerous studies have been carried out. As research on the topic is still in its infancy in the researcher's area, this study will also reveal the knowledge reservoirs. It will broaden people's perspectives and give them access to all of the sports-related resources available. This study will be beneficial in establishing the quality and situation of the infrastructure available to cricket players and will give the opportunity to highlight any flaws and offer effective remedial actions. Additionally, the study is meant to offer a recommendation.

The management of sport is clearly under the

jurisdiction of the government. Authorities in Pakistan are making every effort to promote sports programmes for developing sportsmen and women, despite their failure to recognize the value of sports in creating a healthy society. The national and provincial governments, through their ministries of sports, may offer the fundamental amenities to all parts of Pakistan and especially the cricket players of Baluchistan in order to reach a high level or rank in cricket. However, there are several obstacles that cricket players must overcome at the local, national, and international levels in the vicinity of Baluchistan. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize these concerns and problems so that we can point out inadequacies and recommend ways to address the first class crickets with constructive actions. The researcher was motivated by these provocative ideas to conduct a survey study to assess the existing sports facilities for Cricket players in Baluchistan.




Objectives

1. To examine the relationship between

existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players at National level. 

2. To analyze the effects of existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players at National level. 

3. To examine the demographic differences in existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players.

Conceptual Framework

After carefully choosing the variables for the study and transforming them into the construct that served as the framework for the research's execution and conclusion, the researcher provided the theoretical framework. The arrows in this framework, which reflect potential linkages between research variables as well as statistical techniques for analyzing dependent and independent variables of the current research study, thereby depict the full tale of the research project from its conception to its conclusion.

Figure 1

Conceptual Framework



Development of Hypotheses

Ha1 There is a significant positive relationship between existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players at National level. 

Ha2 There is a significant positive effect of

existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players at National level. 

Ha3 There is a significant difference in the relationship between existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players having different age groups. 

Ha4 There is a significant difference in the relationship between existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players having different sports experience. 

Research Methodology

In order to pursue the hypothesized relationships among the research variables of the study, the research methods and procedures (tools & techniques) that used for conducting the research in a specific context to examine the desired relationships among research variables under consideration have been provided in this section (Kumar, 2018).




Research Design 

This study used a quantitative research design with exploratory aspects, which included both descriptive and inferential methodologies appropriate to the nature of the subject. In order to use potential methods for performing the research using a specific design, the study supplied philosophical concerns (McKenne & Reeves, 2018). Therefore, the current study's research methodology was exploratory in order to describe research difficulties, demographic priorities, and interactions among research variables in a specific setting in order to extract new information and groundbreaking results to support previous research.




Research Approach

The research approach confirms the research design and offers the parameters for how the researchers approached the study's participants while utilizing the various approaches that are available and advised by prior research (Tobi & Kampen, 2018). Based on the type and requirements of research investigations, many methodologies are employed to perform the study. Based on the needs of the research design, this study employed the survey approach to access the population through a sample and analyze specific phenomena in specific contexts with specific outcomes.




Population and Sampling 

The entirety of the elements in which

researchers are interested are included in the population, allowing them to generalize their sample-based findings to the complete population (Etikan  & Babtope, 2018). The first-class cricket players from the Baluchistan province made up the study's population, and the sample size was set at the level of the main study. The majority of researchers take use of the sample size through sample size determination and extrapolate the findings to the full population because it is not always essential to analyze the entire population or to look at all aspects of a research study. The researcher selected 100 first-class cricket players with the help of purpose sampling from the different district of Baluchistan. A complete list of the first class cricketers was obtained from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Lahore, Pakistan.




Data Collection 

The researcher always aims to gain something from the information required to perform the research in a certain context, necessitating the need for data of various types from various sources. In order to perform the research necessary for this research study, the researcher gathered both primary and secondary data. The researcher gathered secondary data about the causes of the paucity of national-level cricket players from various online sources while gathering primary data using structured questionnaires that were created based on earlier study on related topics.




Questionnaire Design 

The researchers used questionnaire for primary data collection as per the nature and requirements of current study. The quantitative studies are based upon the instrumentation that is critical towards the primary data collection (Leedy & Ormrod, 2019). The questionnaire design and measurement are important part of the research that helps in collecting the first-hand for conducting the research for particular purpose (McKenne & Reeves, 2018). Two self-made structured questionnaires were developed from previous studies. One questionnaire was named as Existing Infrastructural Facilities Questionnaire (EIFQ). Questions like “whether the existing playing facilities are up to the mark for Cricket players”. The second was named as Paucity among National Level Cricketers (PNLCQ). In this section the questions like “prevailing playing facilities are responsible for paucity among cricket players”. Both the questionnaires were developed under the guidance of researcher supervisors, colleagues, experts in the field and a thorough review of related literature.  




Validity and Reliability  

The validity and reliability of instrument is an important part of research that confirms the usability of instrument in particular context. The researchers validated instrument through the pilot testing at level of main study while confirmed reliability through Cronbach alpha. The researchers recommend that with examining validity and reliability, validity of instruments thus becomes questionable. Therefore, researchers confirm the usability of the instrumentation through required procedures. The reliability statistics for Existing Infrastructural Facilities Questionnaire (EIFQ) was found as .086 and .089 was measured for Paucity among National Level Cricketers (PNLCQ). Both the values are considered as statistically significant.      

Testing of Hypotheses

H_a1 There is a significant positive relationship between existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players at National level.




 

Table 1. Results of Correlation

Descriptive Statistics
Research Variables	Mean	Std. Deviation	N
Existing Grounds	3.33	.723	100
Existing Coaches	3.49	.654	100
Financial Facilities	3.60	.666	100
Paucity of National level Cricketers	3.47	.546	100

 




Pearson correlation was applied to determine the relationship between existing sports facilities and paucity of first class cricketers and the results are presented in table 1. The first table presented descriptive statistics regarding the variables understudy. The mean score for existing facility of grounds was noted as 3.33 and std. deviation was noted as .723. Likewise, the mean score for coaches was found as 3.49 and std. deviation was noted as .654. The mean and std. deviation were respectively noted as 3.60 and .666 for financial facilities. The mean and std. deviation for paucity of national level cricketers were noted as 3.47 and .546.




 

Table 2

Correlations
Research Variables Statistics		Existing Grounds	Existing Coaches	Financial Facilities	Paucity of National level Cricketers
Existing Grounds	Pearson Correlation	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)
	N	100
Existing Coaches	Pearson Correlation	.274**	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)	.000
	N	100	100
Financial Facilities	Pearson Correlation	.057	.230**	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)	.279	.000
	N	100	100	100
Paucity of National level Cricketers	Pearson Correlation	.777**	.659**	.561**	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)	.000	.000	.000
	N	100	100	100	100

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

 




The above table presented that independent variables like existing grounds, coaches and financial facilities have positive and significant association with paucity of national level cricketers. Existing grounds and paucity of national level cricketers reported (.777** & .000), existing coaches and paucity of national level cricketers reported (.659** & .000), and financial facilities with paucity of national level

cricketers indicated (.561** & .000). Based on the above analysis, it can be interpreted that existing sports facilities produced positive and significant correlation with paucity of cricket players. Therefore, the H1 is hereby accepted.     

H_a2 There is a significant positive effect of existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players at National level.




 

Table 3

Model Summary
Model	R	R Square	Adjusted R Square	Std. Error of the Estimate
1	.861a	.742	.734	.31726
a. Predictors: (Constant), Financial Facilities , Existing Grounds , Existing Coaches

 

Table 4

ANOVAa
Model		Sum of Squares	df	Mean Square	F	Sig.
1	Regression	27.815	3	9.272	92.114	.000b
	Residual	9.663	96	.101
	Total	37.477	99
a. Dependent Variable: Paucity of National level Cricketers
b. Predictors: (Constant), Financial Facilities , Existing Grounds , Existing Coaches

 

Table 5

Coefficientsa
Model		Unstandardized Coefficients		Standardized Coefficients	t	Sig.
		B	Std. Error	Beta
1	(Constant)	1.010	.273		3.706	.000
	Existing Grounds	.068	.032	.112	2.141	.035
	Existing Coaches	-.125	.063	-.104	-1.993	.049
	Financial Facilities	.794	.049	.850	16.145	.000
a. Dependent Variable: Paucity of National level Cricketers

 




The second hypothesis was framed to examine the effect of existing facilities upon paucity of cricket players and the regression analysis reported that 74.2 % variance is expected in paucity of cricket players due to existing grounds, coaches and funds provided to first class cricketers. The analysis further indicated that that existing grounds, coaches and funds facilities produced significant effects upon paucity of cricket players (Beta= .068, -.125, .794 & P=.035, .049 & .000). Based on regression analysis, H2 has been accepted. 

H_a3 There is a significant difference in the relationship between existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players having different

age groups.




 

Table 6

Research Variables	Age	n	Mean	Std. Deviation	T	Sig.
Existing Grounds	21-30 y	34	3.00	.723	.3562	.001
	31-40 y	45	3.30	.456
	>41 y	21	3.66	.645
Existing Coaches	21-30 y	34	3.49	.654	.2867	.034
	31-40 y	45	3.15	.666
	>41 y	21	3.33	.124
Financial Facilities	21-30 y	34	3.60	.666	.5643	.026
	31-40 y	45	3.45	.613
	>41 y	21	3.55	.142
Paucity of National level Cricketers	21-30 y	34	3.47	.546	.5629	.000
	31-40 y	45	3.65	.555
	>41 y	21	3.40	.273

 




To test a significant differences based on age of the participants, an independent sample t-Test was applied and the results have been presented in the table above. The analyzed data reported that the p-values for all the variables were found lesser then the critical value of .05. Therefore, it can be said that there presented statistically significant difference in all the variables. Therefore, the H3 has been approved as true. 

H_a4 There is a significant difference in the relationship between existing infrastructural sports facilities (Grounds, Coaches & Funds) and paucity of Cricket players having different sports experience.




 

Table 7

Research Variables	Age	n	Mean	Std. Deviation	T	Sig.
Existing Grounds	1-5 years	22	3.00	.723	.7762	.004
	6-10 years	46	3.30	.456
	>10	32	3.66	.645
Existing Coaches	1-5 years	22	3.49	.654	.4567	.023
	6-10 years	46	3.15	.666
	>10	32	3.33	.124
Financial Facilities	1-5 years	22	3.60	.666	.9843	.017
	6-10 years	46	3.45	.613
	>10	32	3.55	.142
Paucity of National level Cricketers	1-5 years	22	3.47	.546	.3329	.049
	6-10 years	46	3.65	.555
	>10	32	3.40	.273

 




To test a significant differences based on sports experience of the participants, an independent sample t-Test was applied and the results have been presented in the table above. The analyzed data reported that the p-values for all

the variables were found lesser then the critical value of .05. Therefore, it can be said that there presented statistically significant difference in all the variables. Therefore, the H4 has been approved as true.

Discussion

The present study was focused to survey the

factors responsible for paucity among national level cricketers. The sports facilities were included available playing facilities, available coaches and provision of funds. The analyzed data indicated contentment among the participants pertaining available facilities provided to them. They responded that the available facilities in the shape of playing areas and other equipment did not adequately provide them. Likewise, the standpoint of the participants was surveyed regarding availability of trained coach and the responses were reported unsatisfactory.  

Respondents shared the same responses when asked how they felt about using money for maintaining and repairing equipment as well as other cricket-related activities. Every respondent said they merely indicated the funds. for holding various cricket matches. Additionally, they said that a shortage of funding made it difficult to allocate monies for other goals of sports, such as their promotion, upkeep, and repair, and suggested that if the government and other pertinent organisations offered grants for additional sports categories for which they had agreed. programmes for elite cricket players.

The results of the study demonstrated that first-class cricketers do not have access to a wide range of infrastructure amenities, skilled instructors, or financial incentives. In a study on the facilities, management, and organisation of physical education and sports, Pawlowski et al. (2018) found that the majority of respondents were dissatisfied with the current facilities for different games in their locations. These findings were consistent with other studies that had previously been done. According to a different survey, respondents expressed unhappiness with the financial support provided by the provincial government for sport in relation to the administration and planning of sport in various regions of the province of KP. According to the analyses' interpretation, the respondents were unhappy with the availability of sport facilities and their upkeep and repair (Khan et al., 2021). Likewise, the primary obstacle affecting the athletics programme is a lack of qualified human resources. The sports managers proposed that the administration might send out enough qualified personnel to support the growth and promotion of sports.

Conclusion

In every area of life, whether it be financial, personal, or material, research is crucial. We occasionally receive financial resources, but we are unsure of how to use them effectively. The analysis found that the majority of these resources are exclusively used by the sports authority to hold cricket events. Due to a shortage of funding, the sports directorate cannot even perform sports activities. Instead, the concerned division uses the funds for sports promotion, maintenance, and repair. First-class cricket is underdeveloped in our nation as a whole, but is especially underdeveloped in Quetta. Government officials and public representatives made a lot of noise about it, but when asked about it, the respondents said that they never paid enough attention to promoting it by offering grants and other necessary facilities. As a result, the first-class cricket players falls short in this particular and crucial area. The data supports the claim that the playing facilities, availability of trained and qualified coaches and more significantly provision of financial incentives are the contraband factors for paucity among cricket players at national level.

Recommendations

1. It is suggested that efficient financial management is important because maximum benefits must be secured from the available revenue. 

2. Availability of playing facilities is the utmost responsibility of concerned, therefore; proper and sufficient facilities in the shape playing area, sports gears and equipment might be provided to first-class cricketers.

3. Likewise, availability of trained and qualified coaches must be ensured to control the paucity of first-class cricketers.     

References

• Arif, T. et al. (2016). Factors Affecting Sports Activities: A Case Study of Gomal, University, Dera Ismail Khan (DIK), International Review of Social Sciences, 4(10), 426-435.
• Etikan, I., & Babtope, O. (2019). A basic approach in sampling methodology and sample size calculation. Med Life Clin, 1(2),
• Khan, H. (2017). Impact of domestic infrastructure upon athletes’ interest, motivation and participation in sport (a case study of domestic cricket KP). M.Phil Published Thesis, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan.
• Khan, W. (2016). Issues in district sports a case study of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). M.Phil Published Thesis, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan.
• Khan, W., Nazeer, M. T., Abid, S., & Bhatti, S. (2021). Issues in District Sport and the Way Forward: A study from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. Elementary Education Online, 20(2), 1251-1251
• Kumar, R. (2018). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage.
• Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2019). Practical research: Planning and design. Pearson. One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458.
• McKenney, S., & Reeves, T. C. (2018). Conducting educational design research. Routledge.
• Ngeti, R. N., Bulinda, M. H., & Peter, B. (2018). Influence of Facilities and Equipment on Female Teachers’ Management of Competitive Sports in Secondary Schools in Taita Taveta County. International Journal of Sports and Physical Education, 4(4), 37-42
• Oborne, P. (2015). Wounded tiger: A history of cricket in Pakistan. Simon and Schuster
• Pawlowski, C. S., Schipperijn, J., Tjørnhøj- Thomsen, T., & Troelsen, J. (2018). Giving children a voice: Exploring qualitative perspectives on factors influencing recess physical activity. European Physical Education Review, 24(1), 39-55.
• Salimi, M., & Khodaparst, M. (2021). Providing the optimal method for sport places site selection based on GIS analytic functions. Journal of Facilities Management. 5(1), 28-47.
• Tobi, H., & Kampen, J. K. (2018). Research design: the methodology for interdisciplinary research framework. Quality & quantity, 52(3), 1209-1225
• Islam, Z. U., Hussain, L., Abbas, A., & Akhtar, R. (2013). A study of the barriers effecting sports in secondary schools of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. Gomal University Journal of Research, 29(2)
• Zia-Ul-Islam, S., Roman, S., & Jabeen, A. (2020). Effect of incentives upon the sports performance of athletes at university level. The SPARK Journal, 5(1), 28-47.