PCB launches T20 Super League

The logo of the Pakistan Super League was unveiled at a colourful ceremony in Lahore, with PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf, former International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat and Pakistan captains Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul Haq in attendance. Pakistan announced on Thursday that it would host a multinational Super League in March in hopes the Twenty20 competition can revive international cricket in the troubled country.
There has been no top-class international cricket in Pakistan since Islamist militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in March 2009, killing eight Pakistanis and wounding seven visiting players.
Foreign teams have shunned the country over security fears, leaving Pakistan to play its home series in England and the United Arab Emirates.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plans to host a Twenty20 league on the lines of the glitzy, cash-rich Indian Premier League, which has featured more than 100 foreign players since its inception in 2008. The logo of the Pakistan Super League was unveiled at a colourful ceremony in Lahore, with PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf, former International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat and Pakistan captains Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul Haq in attendance.
Lorgat, who is acting as adviser to the new league, said he hoped the participation of foreign players would help Pakistan in a big way.
“With the rising popularity of Twenty20 cricket, every ICC member country has the right to host its own league. Pakistan has done hard work and I hope with foreign players’ participation, perceptions about the country will change,” Lorgat said. Chairman PCB said the league to be launched in March this year will attract foreign cricket players and their presence will portray a better image of Pakistan which is save country to stage elite cricket events. “It is going to be a historic moment in Pakistan cricket as we will be launching our own cricket league to help support the cause of cricket in Pakistan,” he added.
“The proposed dates of the league are March 26 to April 7 and five teams will take part in with each team having six foreign players,” he said.
“The participation of foreign players will serve as an effective medium to help revive international cricket which the country (Pakistan) was deprived owning to security concerns in recent years,” he added.
He said the matches will be played at one venue which will be announced in due course of time.
MD of the league, Salman Butt gave a detailed presentation of the event and said with the passage of time it will become a regular feature in Pakistan cricket and efforts would be made to make it an attractive and profit making venture. He said league is a good opportunity for Pakistan to have the presence of foreign players and to see competitive cricket in its ground.