Pakistan Super League may happen in 2014 before World Twenty20

Pakistan''s franchise-based Twenty20 tournament, Pakistan Super League (PSL), could become a possibility in 2014 as per the national cricket board. According to The Express Tribune, officials, who were specifically hired for the league, recently met PCB''s caretaker chairman Najam Sethi, who in view of their presentation gave the nod to the idea of reviving the league. 

     The plan to hold the tournament has been in the PCB''s pipeline for the past few years, but more obvious efforts were seen under suspended chairman Zaka Ashraf, who was desperate to host the league to bring back international cricket to Pakistan, the report said. However, the event, which was scheduled to take place in March-April this year, was postponed indefinitely, the report added.
  An official close to the PSL stated that their priority was to schedule the event for next year in February, before the World Twenty20 Championship, the report further said. He said that the board had already invested at least 20 million rupees and much of the work had already been done, adding that around 60 to 80 foreign players had shown their desire to participate.

Pakistan Super League: 50 foreign players sign for T20 tournament in Pakistan

Pakistan Super League organisers say they have secured over 50 foreign cricketers to take part in the country's first professional Twenty20 tournament starting March. PSL managing director Salman Sarwar Butt on Friday did not reveal the nationality of players, but says his management had already obtained signatures of more than 50 overseas players with some more likely to sign up shortly.

"This clearly is an indication that the PSL is attractive both in terms of cricket and financial gains for the cricketing talent, no matter where in the world it is located," he said.

The cricket boards of Australia and South Africa have reportedly refused to allow their players travel to Pakistan due to security reasons, and Butt says he knows well it would not be easy to change perceptions."The PSL shall continue with its efforts to put together a spectacle that would endeavor to dispel such perceptions once it starts unfolding on the ground," Butt said.

Pakistan has not hosted a test-playing nation for four years, since gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team convoy in March 2009, injuring players and killing six police officials and a driver.The Pakistan Cricket Board also enlisted former International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat as an adviser to the PSL in a bid to rebuild the confidence of foreign players in returning to Pakistan.

It is yet to be seen how many leading players will be able to get the required No Objection Certificates from their respective cricket boards to travel to Pakistan.

"The PCB is in contact with the various boards and will be soliciting NOCs for signed-up players," Butt said. "Once these players get the required NOCs, only then we can reveal their nationalities before going into the auction."

The PSL comprises five city based teams that are yet to be finalised. Lahore or Karachi is the likely venue for the Mar. 26-Apr.6 event in which PSL hopes to induct at least 30 foreign players through an auction process.

Pakistan T20 league PSL set to be launched in March

Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is a five-team Twenty20 tournament, is set be launched at the end of March with about 30 international cricketers likely to play in it. The event is being planned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) along the lines of leagues in other major Test playing countries such as India, Australia, South Africa, England, and Sri Lanka with foreigners being signed by the different franchises, News.com.au reports. The PCB has hired Haroon Lorgat, the former chief executive of the International Cricket Council, as adviser for the PSL, which will feature teams from different cities for the first three years. Lorgat said the league’s worth is in excess of 100 million dollars, however, he did not clarify how long it would take to generate that level of revenue. 

Zaka Ashraf, chairman of the PCB, said he had talked with officials of several cricket boards about sending players. Ashraf said they have received a positive response from Sri Lanka Cricket, Cricket Australia and even South Africa. The PSL is set to stage 23 matches over 12 days in a city yet to be finalised, but probably either Karachi or Lahore. Each team will have a squad of at least six foreigners, who will join 10 Pakistani players. Organisers plan to expand the event to eight teams in 2016 and hold 59 matches over a period of one month.

Pakistan has not hosted a foreign team since gunmen attacked Sri Lanka''s team bus at Lahore in 2009, killing six police officers and a van driver. The PCB has made several attempts to attract foreign teams, but so far it has not succeeded in convincing any Test-playing nation that it''s safe to play in Pakistan.

Pakistan Premier League likely to clash with Indian Premier League next year

The rivalry between India and Pakistan is not only between the two governments but it seems like there is rivalry between both the cricket boards. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a tentative schedule of the inaugural event of the Pakistan Premier League (PPL), which is likely to clash with the Indian version of the Twenty20 competition. According to an official, the opening and closing ceremonies have been set for March 25 and April 10 next year respectively. If the event goes ahead as per the tentative schedule, the knockout stages are certain to clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL) that starts from April 3

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"We didn't have much choice. The window after the South Africa tour is the only period available as per the Future Tour Programme," The Express Tribune quoted the official, as saying.

The South Africa cricket board had reportedly refused to reschedule the dates for the Pakistan series, which includes three Tests, five One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20s between February 1 and March 24, 2013.

However, the official said the discussions were made with the broadcasters and sponsors during the PPL committee's visit to Dubai along with PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf.

"Broadcasters and sponsors have not shown any reservations. They have given a thumbs-up to the schedule. Only a few matches are coinciding. The IPL will stretch for nearly two months and the clash will not create many problems for us. Even if the leagues have common stars, they will just miss one or two IPL matches. We are now keeping our fingers crossed," the official said.

The PCB is targeting 30 international cricketers, including five 'super stars' for each of team in the league.