The Pakistan Cricket Board is considering to launch its own version of the Indian Premier League in the country, it was learnt on Tuesday.
Reports said that having failed in its bid to finalise the proposed Pakistan Premier League T20 competition on a much wider scale, the board had decided to work on a modified version. “What is clear now is that the board is convinced it would serve no purpose for it even if the Pakistan Premier League was possible at a neutral venue,” a report said.
“What is decided now is to work on a modified version of the PPL but it will only be held in Pakistan,” said an official of the board. He also revealed that the board would soon be speaking to some television broadcasters regarding the new idea. “The plan is to launch the PPL in the country and convince a few overseas players to appear in it for franchise teams,” he said.
Stating that the Board has realised that because of the security situation in the country it would be next to impossible to get a wide range of overseas players to play in the PPL, a source, however admitted, “PCB is confident of attracting a few foreign players, mainly from Asian nations.” The source said that the success of the ongoing domestic super eights T20 tournament in Faisalabad was one reason for the new line of thinking.
“The eight regional teams in the competition have all been sponsored by private companies and the feeling is that the PCB can get more leading companies and banks to sponsor franchise teams even if a few overseas players are involved,” the source said. “Even if the PCB managed to launch its PPL in Dubai or some other neutral venue it realises now this will not help in anyway in convincing foreign teams to start touring Pakistan. The idea is now to work slowly but steadily on a premier league but in Pakistan,” the source added.
“There were even presentations made by some overseas companies on the proposed PPL but it didn’t take off as everything boiled down to the continued refusal of other boards to send their players to Pakistan,” explained the source.
