The Pakistan Cricket Board has been quite serious about alternate venues for playoffs and the final of PSL 10 outside Pakistan. This is one step that has been realized by many factors, culminating in some serious developments and decisions during the past few months. Here’s a deep dive into the situation, along with the recent updates and their possible impacts on the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
England had already been under view as a possible venue for the playoffs and the final of PSL 10. This is because, regarding cricket infrastructure, it is mature, and concerning high-profile cricket events, there exists experience. The playoffs and the final were then supposed to be carried out in a bid to use the facilities in England and add an international flavor to the league.
This, however, has been confirmed now: England has declined hosting the chance for these all-important games. The unavailability of the venues was cited as the reason. Though England was keen on hosting these matches, venues could not be locked down because of some logistic and scheduling clashes. In light of this development, the PCB has been forced to reconsider its options for the hosting of the PSL 10 playoffs and final.
With the decline of England, UAE has perhaps come up as a standby or alternate host. The UAE has hosted PSL games in the past and is suitable for any high-profile cricket hosting with adequate infrastructure. However, the extreme May heat is seen as a big problem that can upset scheduling and player performances. The PCB is working out a strategy to host the matches in UAE, keeping in view all logistics and climatic issues.
What has troubled the minds of the franchise owners is the potential decision to move playoffs and final out of Pakistan. One of the major concerns for the owners is the amount that would be spent in hosting matches abroad. With this in mind, the PCB had earlier planned to send an official to England to get a firsthand assessment of the situation and see if the proposed arrangement was viable.
But despite all these efforts, England’s refusal has brought about a more focused review of the UAE option. Franchise owners have also written to the PCB seeking clarification on the profit shares from the ninth season besides other financial matters. There has been no official response from the PCB over these issues as yet.
A senior PCB official has assured that a meeting of the governing council will be held soon to finalize plans for PSL 10 and soothe the concerns of franchise owners. Among other things, venue selection and financial issues related to the league are on the agenda to be discussed in the meeting for their solution. The finalization of arrangements for the PSL 10 playoffs and final is now subject to the outcome of this meeting.
PSL 10 is going to occur from April 10 to May 25, which is going to be at the same time as the Indian Premier League. There are a lot of concerns that a few of the big-name international players might skip the PSL for IPL. An established reputation and financial rewards at the IPL may tempt some top players, hence giving less value to the quality of competition in the case of the PSL.