DUBAI: New Pakistan cricket chief Ehsan Mani said on Saturday his board would review their stance on global leagues and seek assurances from the game’s governing body.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) earlier this year restricted its players’ participation to one league other than their own Pakistan Super League to reduce their workload.
The mushrooming of the leagues has also endangered the future of the traditional five-day game with some players giving up red-ball cricket to ensure maximum earnings through Twenty20 and T10 (ten overs a side game) leagues.
Despite criticism, PCB released 10 of its highest-paid contracted players to participate in the T10 league, held in Sharjah last year, including the current captain Sarfraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir.
The league was a big hit and will be extended to eight teams from six and will be held from November 23 to December 2 this year.
But Mani, speaking at the Asia Cup, said his board will seek assurances from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
“I didn’t understand the rationale on what basis we committed our players for the leagues,” Mani told reporters. “The main criteria, which I understand, was that how much money PCB gets and how much players will get.
“But they (the previous set up of the PCB) did not look at the players’ workload. So I will examine all the leagues in which Pakistan players participate.
“We need to do the due diligence in whichever leagues we are participating whether they are credible or not.”
Mani said he has asked the ICC to give assurance of the fairness of the leagues.
“I am holding back my position (on T10) until I get full satisfaction... so I have requested the ICC to look into it again.
“I need assurances from the ICC because they have sanctioned it.”
The lucrative Indian Premier League was rocked in 2013 over match-fixing allegations, resulting in a two-year ban on two franchises and a life ban on international player Shanthakumaran Sreesanth.
The same year Bangladesh Premier League was hit by fixing scandal, with seven players charged.
Pakistan’s own PSL — held in the United Arab Emirates since 2016 — was rocked by spot-fixing scandals in its second year that resulted in five-year bans for openers Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif.
Pakistan to review position on global cricket leagues
Pakistan to review position on global cricket leagues
- Pakistan Cricket Board earlier this year restricted its players from participating in leagues, other than their own Pakistan Super League
- PCB released 10 of its highest-paid contracted players to participate in the T10 league, held in Sharjah last year
Pakistan extends bid submission for new PSL teams citing interest from Middle East, Europe
- Pakistan has invited bids for two new PSL teams for upcoming edition of the tournament
- Pakistan Cricket Board extends bid submission deadline by a week to Dec. 22, says chairman
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to extend the deadline to submit bids for two new Pakistan Super League (PSL) teams due to “growing interest” from investors in the Middle East, US and Europe, chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday.
The PSL is Pakistan’s flagship Twenty20 league held every year featuring six teams, each representing a different city of Pakistan. It includes national as well as international cricketers.
PSL 11 is expected to begin in April and May next year, and will see two new teams added to the current roster of six PSL teams. Pakistan kicked off the process to invite bids from investors for two new PSL teams for the upcoming edition of the league last month.
“Witnessing growing interest from the Europe, USA, the Middle East and beyond in acquiring new HBL PSL teams, we have decided to extend the bid submission deadline by one week to 22 December 2025,” Naqvi wrote on social media platform X.
https://x.com/mohsinnaqvic42/status/1999510948311347476?s=46&t=_sd6Jiyhge2j48w9Ld4HwA
“Good luck to everyone excited to welcome our new franchise owners to the HBL PSL family.”
The PCB organized a roadshow this week in London to attract international investors. The roadshow featured former cricket stars Ramiz Raja, Wasim Akram and the PCB’s top hierarchy, including Naqvi.
The roadshow also featured star cricketers Babar Azam, Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf, who spoke about their journey so far and how the league has transformed their lives.
In an earlier statement, the PCB released a list of cities that potential owners could name their new teams after.
Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Faisalabad, Gilgit, and Rawalpindi are the new potential cities, from which two will be chosen for the upcoming edition of the tournament.
The list of teams that are already part of the PSL are Multan Sultans, Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars.
