All is not well between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises, according to reports in Pakistani media. The franchises are not happy due to several reasons and have already informed the PCB about it.
The biggest concern for the franchises at the moment is the potential clash between the schedule of the 10th edition of PSL and the Indian Premier League (IPL) next year. The IPL and the PSL are on a collision course and it could hamper the latter as the players are likely to prefer the lucrative competition in India.
While the PSL is usually held in February and March, the PCB has identified a window between April 7 to May 20 for hosting the next edition of the competition. The reason behind the new window is the Champions Trophy. Pakistan are set to host the next edition of the Champions Trophy in February and March and have decided to conduct the PSL in April and May.
“Due to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 being held in the traditional event window, the event window for the 2025 event will be April 7-May 20. Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi to host matches in Pakistan with each side playing, at least, five matches on home ground.”
“The PCB will continue to explore additional venues. Four playoffs proposed to be staged at a neutral venue,” stated the PCB in a release earlier this month.
PSL franchises unhappy with the window for PSL 2025:
While the PCB wants to conduct the PSL 2025 in April and May next year, the franchises are not impressed with the timing. The IPL is usually held from March end to May end and conducting the PSL during that period is likely to impact the participation of the overseas players.
According to a report in Cricket Pakistan, the franchises have written a joint letter to the PCB and have demanded a Governing Council meeting to address the issues. Their foremost concern is the window for the next PSL as they have sought clarification from the PCB over the impact it could have on the league’s commercial value.
The franchises are also not happy with the PCB’s proposal of conducting four games at a neutral venue outside Pakistan. The franchise owners have raised concerns over the impact of adding two new teams from the 11th edition onwards. They have sought clarification from the PCB over how the addition of the new teams would affect the central revenue pool and the overall schedule of the league.
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