Pakistan Cricket I News & Discussions

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Arthur and his hand-picked staff part ways with PCB ‘amicably’​

Mohammad Yaqoob
January 9, 2024

LAHORE: Former Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur and his support staff have decided to part ways with the country’s cricket board nearly two months after they were unceremoniously removed from their respective posts following the national side’s dismal World Cup campaign.

Arthur, former head coach Grant Bradburn and ex batting coach Andrew Puttick were asked to report at the National Cricket Academy here in November following their removal after Pakistan failed to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals.

Morne Morkel, part of Arthur’s staff as the bowling coach, had resigned days after but the director himself, Bradburn and Puttick had not acted or spoken over the developments immediately and had flown out of Pakistan

On Monday, however, the trio reached an amicable solution with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after returning to address the situation, sources told Dawn. Under the deal, Arthur, Bradburn and Puttick will be paid salaries of three months in advance before letting go of their jobs.

Arthur’s handpicked staff included physiotherapist Cliff Deacon and strength and conditioning coach Drikus Saaimon, but both were retained in the roles following the former skipper Mohammad Hafeez’s appointment as the team director and a new coaching staff under him.

Arthur was appointed in the directorial role by former PCB interim management committee chairman Najam Sethi. He, however, was simultaneously working as the head coach of English county side Derbyshire and carried out his Pakistan duties remotely.

The South African joined the national side’s dressing room during the Asia Cup in September and was with the team throughout the tournament and the World Cup that followed.

Pakistan finished fourth in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup, in which archrivals India subjected them to a 228-run drubbing. In the World Cup, they won only four of their nine matches and after the tournament, the side’s then skipper Babar Azam stepped down from the position.

Babar’s resignation was the earliest move in the revamp of the Pakistan team management before Hafeez was appointed as director, Wahab Riaz as chief selector, Shan Masood as Test captain and Shaheen Shah Afridi as the T20I skipper.

In Hafeez’s first assignment, Pakistan lost the recent three-match Test series against Australia 3-0.

In 2017, Arthur had led Pakistan to Champions Trophy triumph as the head coach before he was denied a contract extension by the PCB after the team’s failure to make the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup.

When Sethi took charge in January last year, he reappointed Arthur owing to his healthy working relationship with the 55-year-old.

Sethi was vocal about his trust in Arthur’s abilities, especially due to his previous achievements with the Pakistan team and insisted him to work for the outfit again.

But that and Arthur’s bitter 2019 experience saw Sethi compromise on Arthur’s Derbyshire role and was acceptable of the coach managing two professional sides at the same time.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2024

Arthur and his hand-picked staff part ways with PCB ‘amicably’

Arthur’s handpicked staff physiotherapist Cliff Deacon and strength and conditioning coach Drikus Saaimon retain their roles.

www.dawn.com

 

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PCB auctions off PSL’s broadcasting rights for 2 years in ‘record’ deal​

Dawn.com
January 10, 2024

From left to right: PSL Commissioner Naila Bhatti, PCBInterim Management Committee head Zaka Ashraf and PCB’s Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer at a press briefing in Lahore on Wednesday.

The Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) broadcasting rights for the next two years have been auctioned for the “highest” amount in the league’s history, according to Zaka Ashraf, the head of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Interim Management Committee.

“The bidding for the PSL broadcasting rights has seen an increase of Rs3 billion more this time, which is the highest in the league’s history,” Ashraf said in a press conference today in Lahore without mentioning the exact figure.

In 2021, the PSL’s previous two-year broadcasting deal had fetched the PCB Rs4.35bn. It means that if the Rs3bn reported by Ashraf are added to the previous deal’s figures, the current deal could be worth a staggering Rs7.35bn or around $26m.

Sharing details about the bidding process, PSL Commissioner Naila Bhatti said that the sale of domestic broadcast rights for PSL within the Pakistani territory took place on Tuesday.

“It was a positive day for the PCB yesterday as we successfully concluded the domestic broadcast rights deal for PSL season 9 in Pakistan,” she added.

As you know the economic situation of Pakistan is concerning, but the PSL brand has grown so much and it has the power to fetch impressive price value for its brand, she said.

Bhatti disclosed that there were four bidders, namely Geo Sports, Tower Sports, PTV Sports, and ARY Sports, with ARY Sports emerging as the frontrunner with the highest bid during the second round. She noted, “ARY elevated its bid by 47-48 per cent compared to the last bidding cycle.” The board official, however, did not share the bidding amount.

She highlighted that a significant portion of the revenue from such ventures goes to the owners, adding that the franchise owners had expressed satisfaction with the bid.

Emphasising the success of the livestreaming bid, she mentioned that Wali Technologies (WT) submitted an “aggressive bid” that surpassed the previous bid cycle by 113pc.

To a query, Ashraf stated that 95pc of the amount goes to franchise owners, while 5pc goes to the PCB.

He added, “If they achieve financial success, it would bring us great satisfaction.”

Ashraf also pointed out that financial gains for franchise owners could serve as an incentive and bring more investors in the league.

PCB auctions off PSL’s broadcasting rights for 2 years in ‘record’ deal

Zaka Ashraf says bidding for PSL broadcasting rights "saw an increase of Rs3 billion" over the previous deal.

www.dawn.com

 

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T20 tri-series: 23 probable announced for Pakistan Women's Under-19 camp​

Recorder Report

LAHORE: The Women’s National Selection Committee headed by Saleem Jaffar has named 23 probable for the upcoming T20 tri-series in Cox’s Bazar, which involves Sri Lanka and hosts Bangladesh.

The T20 tournament will be played on a double round-robin basis with the participating teams playing four matches each, before the top two sides playing the final on 2nd February.

Among the 23 probable, six players – Anosha Nasir, Eyman Fatima, Laiba Nasir, Mahnoor Aftab, Rida Aslam and Zaib-un-Nisa – have already played for Pakistan in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa last year.

The selectors will announce the 15-player squad during the camp, which will run till January 18 at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi. During the nine-day camp, the players will feature in training sessions and practice T20 matches.

Probable: Aleesa Mukhtiar, Anosha Nasir, Areesha Ansari, Eyman Fatima, Haleema Dua Zafar, Haniah Ahmer, Kainat Eiman, Komal Khan, Laiba Nasir, Maham Anees, Mahnoor Aftab, Memoona Khalid, Mubeen Ahmed, Muqadas Bukhari, Muskan Abid, Ravail Farhan, Rida Aslam, Samiya Afsar, Sana Talib, Syeda Taskyn Fatima, Tayyaba Imdad, Zaib-un-Nisa and Zoofishan Ayyaz.

Team Management: Wasim Yousafi (Head Coach), Aisha Jalil (Manager), Shakir Qayyum (Assistant Coach), Zulfiqar Babar (Spin Bowling Coach), Muhammad Ramzan (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Muhammad Usman Shahid (Analyst) and Rabia Siddiq (Physio).

 

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PCB issues NOC to four cricketers for global leagues​

The tenth edition of BPL and the second edition of ILT20 will kick start from Friday, January 19, 2024

Muhammad Yousaf Anjum​

18 January, 2024

PHOTO: Twitter

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given its nod by issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to four prominent national cricket players, paving the way for their participation in international cricket leagues.

The quartet set to make their mark in foreign leagues comprises T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Wasim Jr.

Notably, Shaheen Afridi has secured a spot with the Desert Vipers in the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) ILT20, while Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Wasim Jr. have committed to teams in the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Rizwan will represent the Comilla Victorians, Babar Azam is poised to wear the jersey of the Rangpur Riders and Mohammad Wasim Jr is geared up to represent the Khulna Tigers.

Sources within the PCB have revealed that Fakhar Zaman and Azam Khan are currently awaiting approval for their league participations. The PCB is carefully evaluating each case individually, underscoring the meticulous approach in assessing permissions for national cricketers.

It is worth nothing that the tenth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and the second edition of ILT20 are set to begin on January 19, 2024.

 

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Zaka Ashraf resigns as PCB’s Interim Management Committee chairman​

BR

Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Interim Management Committee (IMC) Zaka Ashraf has decided to tender his resignation from the position, a PCB statement said on Friday.

The development comes a couple of weeks before the expiry of a three-month extension given to the PCB’s management committee.

Ashraf made this announcement in the fourth meeting of the IMC on Friday at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

“At the end of the meeting, Mr Zaka Ashraf announced that he had decided to tender his resignation as chairman and member of the MC to the honourable Patron Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar,” the PCB statement read.

Ashraf thanked the interim prime minister for “confidence and trust reposed by him and extended his best wishes and prayers for the betterment of Pakistan and Pakistan cricket”, it added.

Zaka Ashraf led PCB management committee was formed in July 2023 for a four month period, and Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, using his prerogative, gave a three-month extension in November 2023.

He was heading a ten-member committee that includes Kalim Ullah Khan, Ashfaq Akhtar, Muhammad Mussadiq Islam, Azmat Pervez, Zaheer Abbas, Khawaja Nadeem, Mustafa Ramday, Zulfiqar Malik, and Khurram Karim Somroo.

 

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Punjab CM Mohsin Naqvi set to be named PCB chief​

Kashif Abbasi
January 23, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has emerged as the frontrunner to become the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) interim Management Committee, sources told Dawn on Monday.

The media mogul, according to sources, has the backing of caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar — who is also the PCB’s patron-in-chief — to take up the role.

Mohsin’s appointment in the position would mean he will also fill the spot left vacant in the PCB’s Board of Governors by former chief Zaka Ashraf, who stepped down from the post last week.

There’s also a high likelihood for Mohsin the be elected as the PCB chief when it’s long-awaited polls are held. But till then, Mohsin will be the third consecutive interim Management Committee chief of the board.

On Friday, Zaka had tendered his resignation from the position, two weeks before the expiry of the committee’s tenure that he had headed.

He tendered resignation three days after the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) had disallowed him from holding an MC meeting wherein he was supposed to form the BoG, which is the first step to hold the elections of PCB chairman for a three-year term.

The PCB is being run on adhoc basis since December 2022 when Ramiz Raja was removed from the post by the then prime minister Shehbaz Sharif. He was replaced by Najam Sethi as head of the interim committee, which was mainly tasked to conduct elections. But Sethi met the same fate as Ramiz later when Zaka took his place.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2024

 

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Caretaker Punjab CM Mohsin Naqvi appointed unopposed as PCB chairman​

Caretaker Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi has been elected unopposed as Pakistan Cricket Board’

 

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PCB terminates pace ace Haris Rauf’s central contract​

Abdul Ghaffar
February 15, 2024

Pace ace Haris Rauf’s central contract was terminated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday following a probe into his alleged refusal to join Pakistan’s Test squad for the tour of Australia 2023-24, the cricket board said in a press release.

In November, chief selector Wahab Riaz had revealed that Rauf refused to take part in the Test tour of Australia and told selectors he wanted to focus on white ball cricket and manage his workload.

According to ESPNCricinfo a source close to the player revealed that Rauf had never committed to playing the Test matches in Australia. Riaz said that Rauf’s decision would “hurt Pakistan cricket”.

 

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LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that talented players who showed performance in the HBL-PSL-9 would be given chance to show their talent.

“The players selected on merit on the basis of performance have the ability to produce good results,” Naqvi said in a meeting, which reviewed selection of players for the training camp for upcoming series against New Zealand. Chief Selector Wahab Riaz, PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer, the director international cricket and other authorities attended the meeting. Naqvi said the players who gave the best performances during the Pakistan Super League-9 would be called for the fitness and training camp.

It may be added that the New Zealand cricket team will be visiting Pakistan in April for a five-match T20I series, starting on April 18, ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup that begins in June.

The PCB chief asked the selectors to select players on the basis of merit and their performances. He made it clear that no one recommendations would be accepted in the selection of players for the camp.

The chief selector Wahab Riaz submitted a report about the bowlers and batters who gave stellar performances during the recently concluded HBL-PSL-9 in which Muhammad Irfan Khan was named 'Emerging Player of the Tournament', Saim Ayub 'All-Rounder of the Tournament', Muhammad Irfan Khan 'Fielder of the Tournament', Azam Khan 'Wicketkeeper of the Tournament', Usama Mir 'Bowler of the Tournament', Usman Khan 'Batter of the Tournament' and Shadab Khan 'Player of the Tournament.'

Moreover, the inaugural Inter-College Ramadan T20 Cup 2024 started here at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The opening ceremony was held at the Gaddafi Stadium. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi graced the occasion.

A PCB spokesman said, the 21 matches in the Lahore leg will be broadcast LIVE on PTV Sports to provide an exposure of competitive cricket to the players. The ball-by-ball live scorecards of the whole tournament will be available on CricHQ. The participating teams will use the home and away dressing rooms of the Gaddafi stadium, which is also the headquarters of Pakistan Cricket Board, while the wickets for the tournament will be curated by the stadium’s dedicated ground staff.

The PCB has also allowed free entry for the spectators to watch the games and the Fazal Mahmood enclosure will be opened an hour before the start of the game.

The Islamabad leg of the tournament will take place at Miusam Cricket Ground from 23rd March onwards while the matches in Karachi will take place at Eid Gah Ground Nazimabad and IBA Karachi University Ground.

 

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Babar’s imminent return as captain to come at cost of dressing room stability​

Mohammad Yaqoob
March 30, 2024

ABBOTTABAD: Pakistan players jog during a training session at the Pakistan Military Academy on Friday.—courtesy PCB
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaMc238IiRov8okfYy3n



LAHORE: While Babar Azam is all but set to return as Pakistan captain, his imminent reappointment may hurt the national side’s dressing room.

It has already been volatile since Babar stepped down from the post after Pakistan dismal show in the Asia Cup and the 50-over World Cup last year, with Shaheen Shah Afridi replacing him as the Twenty20 captain and Shan Masood assuming the role as the team’s Test skipper.

Both, as Dawn understands, were kept in the dark by the national selection committee — recently “reorganised” by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi — as it pondered over who to appoint as the next captain of the national team before agreeing upon Babar’s name on Friday.

Dawn learnt on authority that the PCB has offered Babar the captaincy of all three formats, but the batter will have his own set of demands before accepting it, given how the board has worked in the last few months.






Babar’s return would mean Shan and Shaheen’s respective Test and T20 international captaincy stints would stay limited to just one series each and the PCB’s ignorance towards the duo’s position as a stakeholder in the situation may cost it the Pakistan dressing room’s stability.

According to sources, many in PCB believe that the organisation has made a mistake by not keeping Shaheen in the loop over captaincy and by just informing the pacer about its decision to bring Babar back as skipper.

“As both Shaheen and Babar are not on one-page for the last few months, the decision of appointing Babar without taking Shaheen into confidence may affect the unity within the national team as the fast bowler also has a good number of players supporting him,” sources close to the situation told Dawn.

During nearly three years of Babar’s reign as Pakistan captain senior players Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir had fell out of the selectors’ favour and their chances of returning to the team were low.

Both were openly critical of Babar’s approach as captain and were vocal about it on national television.

All-rounder Imad and pacer Amir, however, were brought back into the fore by Mohsin after calling off their international retirement recently and it is understood that both will be on Pakistan’s squad for the T20 World Cup, which is set to be held in the United States and the West Indies in June. However, with Babar as captain, things may get tricky.

“… the expected selection of pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim in the national team, after they had withdrawn their retirement from international cricket recently may not make Babar Azam happy,” the sources added.

After his confirmation as Pakistan captain, Babar will also become a part of the selection committee, which comprises four former Test players in Asad Shafiq, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq along with data analyst Bilal Afzal.

The vacant place in what is supposed to be a seven-member committee is that of the Pakistan head coach, a role for which as well the PCB is looking for personnel.

According to the job advertised on the careers page of the PCB website, the board is looking for separate coaches for the Test and white-ball formats and as it emerged on Friday, former South African batter Gary Kirsten and ex Australian pacer Jason Gillespie are leading the run for the posts.

As many as 29 probables are currently attending a fitness training camp organised by the PCB at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Abbotabad. The camp is being held as the side’s preparation for the upcoming five-match T20 series against New Zealand.

After hosting the BlackCaps, Pakistan will visit Ireland and England in May, before flying to Dallas in the US to play their opening T20 World Cup game against the hosts.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2024

 

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PCB chief meets cricket team in Kakul amid reported furore over remarks by Shaheen​

Dawn.com | AFP
April 1, 2024

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday met the national cricket team - which is currently participating in a fitness camp in Kakul - amid a controversy over comments attributed Shaheen Shah Afridi in an official statement.

An eventful week after the PCB had “reorganised” the national selection committee culminated a day ago with the return of Babar Azam as the side’s white-ball skipper, replacing Shaheen.

As per a PCB statement issued on the matter, Shaheen said he looked forward to playing under Babar again. “It was an absolute honour to captain Pakistan’s national cricket team,” he was quoted as saying in the PCB statement.

“As a team player, it is my duty to back our captain, Babar Azam. I have played under his captaincy and have nothing but respect for him,” he had said.

However, a source close to Shaheen denied he had signed off on the statement that implied a harmonious transfer of the top job. The source added Afridi resented being replaced after being in charge for just one Twenty20 series.

“This is not Shaheen’s statement and he has contacted PCB to clarify this,” the source told AFP. “Shaheen will meet PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday to clarify this,” the source had said.

Meanwhile, ESPN cricinfo reported that Shaheen was “furious” with the statement attributed to him and was “on the brink of making a statement to this effect, but the PCB has held emergency talks with him”.

The report added that Shaheen “is understood to have contributed nothing to that [PCB] statement at all”.

Amid the uncertain situation, PCB chief Naqvi visited the national team at Kakul to inspect their training and expressed his gratitude to the Pakistan Army for arranging the fitness camp.

“I am highly inspired by the incredible dedication and high spirits of the national team players,” Naqvi said in a post on X.

The PCB selectors were mulling over who would be the next Pakistan captain despite Shaheen showing no intent to give up the armband after one series in charge, a 4-1 Twenty20 drubbing in New Zealand in January this year.

As per the PCB, it wasn’t Shaheen’s failure against the Black Caps but his history of injuries that may lead to the pacer’s potential unavailability in the future, a reason which made the selection committee replace him with Babar as skipper.

But as 29 Pakistan probables, including Babar and Shaheen, have been toiling in a fitness camp at the country’s premier military academy in Kakul since Tuesday, the selectors, it had emerged, had kept Shaheen in the dark over the developments regarding the captaincy.

Meanwhile, they had offered the role to Babar, who had set his conditions “too harsh” for taking up the mantle again, as per Dawn’s understanding. That forced the PCB to send the selectors to Kakul to meet Babar, who, according to sources, demanded captaincy of all three formats, complete authority as skipper and a lenient hand from the board in case of failure.

The PCB’s final decision suggested it gave in to conditions set by Babar, who was still not confirmed as the Test captain.

With veteran players Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir back into contention for a place in the Pakistan squad for the T20 World Cup extravaganza after having rescinded their respective retirements recently following negotiations with the PCB, Babar will have a challenge at hand.

Both players have been critical of Babar’s approach as captain while the right-hander has generally been accused of demonstrating favouritism in the national team selection.

 

[SaadH]

Naqvi is now destroying Pakistan cricket following the orders from his sepoy handlers and after destroying all semblance of law/order, justice, democracy and governance in Punjab and rest of the country as the CM and now as the interior minister.

BTW, Naqvi was a well known CIA asset who out of no where showed in Pakistan after a stint abroad and started a news channel without any bureaucratic/security issus.

Sepoys and Naqvi have the same colonial patrons who've paid them off to destroy Pakistan.

 

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Shadab Khan responds after Umar Gul apologises for World Cup injury remark​

Gul, in an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, publicly apologized to Shadab Khan for questioning his injury during the World Cup

News Desk​

03 April, 2024



Shadab Khan has reacted after former pacer Umar Gul apologized for his remarks made about the all-rounder during the 2023 ODI World Cup match against South Africa.

Gul, in an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, publicly apologized to Shadab Khan for questioning his injury during the World Cup.

"After the PSL, I approached him [Shadab] immediately because the real story was that he had suffered from concussion twice in a year, and the third time it occurred during the World Cup. The doctor advised rest to prevent any serious consequences," Gul said.

"When I found out about it and when I met him for the first time in the training camp, I went straight to him and apologized. I said, 'Shadab, it was never my intention to hurt you, and obviously being a Pakistani, I felt at that time that the team needed you.' So, for the team's requirement, I said this, otherwise Shadab is a great guy and we have good relations, our families have good relations too, but obviously I felt by the statement I had given, and I apologized to Shadab for it," he added.

In response to Cricket Pakistan's post on social media platform 'X', Shadab showed a positive gesture, indicating that the issue has been resolved amicably.

“It takes a brave man to accept his mistake. Respect you Gulli bhai. Always stay happy,” Shadab quoted on Cricket Pakistan's post.

While talking on a local sports channel, Gul had expressed his skepticism about Shadab's injury during the crucial World Cup match.

“We don’t know what kind of injury he has sustained, but questions arise when you fall, claim to have a concussion, escape from the team, and go outside. The physio checks you, and then after a while, you come out. There, you chat with people and then leave. When the match gets tight, and you realize it is going in our favor, you sit outside in the dugout, cheering. It means you’ve made an excuse; you’ve saved yourself. So people will definitely question it,” Gul had said.

 

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Franchises, PCB all but agree over eight-team PSL, April-May window​

Mohammad Yaqoob
May 18, 2024

LAHORE: With two more teams set to be added to the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2026, the current six franchises have all but agreed over the country’s cricket board’s proposal to hold the future editions of the franchise Twenty20 tournament in the April-May window.

The consensus, according to sources, took place during the meeting between the respective representatives of the six franchises and the higher officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday.

With Pakistan to host the ICC Champions Trophy next year, the PSL will have to be moved to the April-May window. But this change will apply to future editions as well, given that the addition of teams will increase the number of matches.

Holding the PSL in the April-May window would mean the tournament will clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL). While that may affect the interest of foreign players in the PSL, the window is deemed suitable by the PCB due to minimum bilateral cricket during it.

“As the PSL is also being expanded from six teams to eight from the 2026 season, a window of more than 50 days is required to hold the tournament,” a source told Dawn. “The months of April and May are the only ones left when there is dearth of bilateral cricket because of the IPL’s schedule.

“The final approval for the new dates of the PSL will be given in the next general council meeting of the PSL, which will be held soon.”

The PCB is also looking at the possibility of holding the PSL play-offs and final in England next year. The body is expected to meet the England and Wales Cricket Board in this regard later this month.

“As we will have a good number of matches with the addition of two teams from 2026, new venues are needed to hold 60-plus matches comfortably,” the source said. “We are interested to include England as one of the venues as it will connect the PCB with the big broadcasters and sponsors.”

While venues abroad are in consideration, the PCB has also started explore the possibilities of including Quetta and Peshawar — home grounds of the Gladiators and Zalmi respectively.

Both teams have been deprived of the chance to play in front of home crowds, a disadvantage they face unlike the remaining PSL sides.

“The PCB is going to form a ground committee which will recommend the board how to deal the affairs of the pitches and other allied facilities relating to holding the matches in Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar,” the source said.

However, sources added that the security situation would also be considered as top priority by the PCB before including any venue, be it the Bugti Stadium in Quetta or the facility in Peshawar.

Moreover, in an update provided on Friday, the PCB said it had offered franchise owners assistance in signing marquee players for multiple years.

The board and the franchise representatives also discussed the option for each team to directly sign one player, in addition to the marquee player offer that PCB will support.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2024