Foreign players refuses to play full PSL season in Pakistan

Pakistan cricket Board’s (PCB) desire to host an entire edition of the Pakistan Super League in their own nation has taken a big blow after some foreign players denied to stay in Pakistan for a long time. Because of security reasons, the first edition was played in the United Arab Emarates. But with time, the condition got better and the PCB started hosting a part of the compition in Pakistan.

As a result, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) managed to host the finals of the last three seasons in their own country. As a matter of fact, the last eight games of the previous season, including the playoffs and the final took place in Lahore and Karachi. The successful hosting of the matches encouraged the PCB to stage the entire tournament in Pakistan. Nevertheless, it looks unlikely at the moment because of the unwillingness of the foreign players to stay in Pakistan for a longer period of time.

According to the reports in Cricket Pakistan, the franchises want to hold half season of next year’s PSL in UAE as they think that staging the entire tournament in Pakistan is not viable at the moment. PCB chairman Ehsan Mani, however, insisted that there are no problems regarding hosting the entire PSL season in Pakistan.

“I took the approval of PCB’s Patron-in-Chief regarding holding entire HBL PSL in Pakistan, after consulting with all the franchise owners,” said Mani. “I have invited team owners for a meeting next week on Monday in Lahore, where this matter would be discussed again.”

“Till now, no franchise has shown any reservations, so there is no possibility of shifting the matches anywhere else,” he added.

Ehsan Mani also talked on the instance of PCB over permitting the Multan Sultans to take part in the in the upcoming edition of PSL without depositing franchise fee.

“Multan Sultans were not given any preferential treatment with regards to their agreement with the Board,” he said. “Sultans are in compliance of their franchise agreement.”

The PCB does need to solve some financial issues with its six franchises. The franchises are hesitant to give bank asssurance for the fifth edition. Moreover, they are also demanding a bigger share in the earning from broadcast and othersponsorship revenues.