New Year is around the corner and Pakistani cricket fans are waiting eagerly for the inaugural Pakistan super League which would took place in United Emirates in next year.
The League has emerged as the country’s premier T20 league with its first contest scheduled for February next year.
Five teams have been named after the four provinces including the federal capital, the Peshawar Zalmis, Quetta Gladiators, Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings and Islamabad United. PSL was purposed three years before but PCB took some time and set up the league after studying the patterns of other similar leagues in other countries. The team franchises offered for a 10-year period were sold out within days. The Karachi Kings went for the largest amount, bought by the ARY Media Group. The Lahore Qalandars followed at $2.4 million with Qatar Oil now their owners. UAE Capital Ventures owns Islamabad, Haier owns Peshawar Zalmis and Omar Associates owns Quetta Gladiators. Cricket icons like Waseem Akram, Dean Jones, Shoaib Akhtar and others are associated with the various teams. A carefully drawn up system of tradeoffs exists to avoid battles between teams over the players hired and also allow individuals some choice in who they sign up with. The league has been carefully planned with over 300 Pakistani players put up for draft along with high-profile cricketers from around the world. Dean Jones, Micky Arther and many others would be coaching teams, it is also in the news that legendary cricketers and Chief of PTI, Imran Khan would be a mentor of a team. We must praise PCB for such a great initiative to provide chance of cricket loving nation for planning international level league of its own. PCB should avoid all the controversies which could affect the league.
PSL would provide chance to new talent to blossom in very competitive tournament.
