PCB mulling to hold PSL final in Karachi next year

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is mulling over holding the final match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Karachi instead of Lahore next year.

During the prize-giving ceremony at the PCB Inter-school National Cricket Championships finals at the Gaddafi Stadium, board chairman Najam Sethi said that they are looking forward to stage two playoff matches in Lahore, while the final could be held in Karachi.

"A new development has come to the fore according to which the two playoff fixtures in the next Pakistan Super League could be staged in Lahore, while the final could be played in Karachi after making the National Stadium ready before the start of the PSL in February next year," the Dawn quoted Sethi, as saying.

"We will consider the proposal in the coming days about the possibility of holding the final in Karachi. I have made a promise to hold PSL matches in Karachi and hopefully in the next edition of the league this promise will be fulfilled," he added.

Sethi, meanwhile, also revealed that Sri Lankan sports minister, who was in Pakistan to watch the historical T20I match between the two sides in Lahore, met IPC minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada and decided to promote the sporting contacts between the two nations.

"And that means next bilateral series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka may be played in Pakistan and we will try to convince them [Sri Lanka board] to send their team," Sethi said.

The PCB chairman further revealed that he would soon announce the dates of the proposed three-match T20I series against West Indies which is to be held in November.

Due to international commitments, the PCB is most likely to change the schedule of the domestic season.

The final of the second edition of the PSL was held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore earlier this year and served as the first step in this direction.

Since then, a World XI side had visited Lahore for a three-match T20I series, while Sri Lanka have also traveled Pakistan for the third T20I last Sunday.

The players' draft for the PSL 3 is slated to be held from November 10 in Lahore while the tournament is set to begin 9 February next year.

-ANI