LAHORE: Pakistan will launch its Premier League Twenty20 tournament in March as it bids to lure more international cricketers back to the country.
Touring sides have shunned Pakistan since a militant attack on Sri Lanka players in 2009 but last weekend an International World XI took on a Pakistan All Star team in two T20 games.
"We have decided to go ahead with the PL as this is the best time for us to bring back some international cricket to Pakistan," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf told Reuters.
South African turned down a request from the PCB to adjust the dates for Pakistan's tour from January to March next year as the tour ends on March 24th, about the same time the Premier League is to be launched.
The Indian Premier League, the most successful T20 competition amid a raft of new tournaments in south Asia, is set to start around April 4.
"We just need a two week window to have our first event and we can manage that despite the South African tour," Ashraf said, adding that five franchises with a pool of 30 overseas players were in the pipeline.
The board has asked the Pakistan government for a five-year tax exemption for the league.
No chance for Saleem Malik
Meanwhile Ashraf has ruled out any plans to hire former test captain Salim Malik as the next batting coach of the national team.
Malik, who was banned for life in 2000 by a judicial inquiry commission for his role in match-fixing, has applied for the batting coach position after stating that the supreme court had cleared him in the case.
"We have decided to have qualified coaches for different jobs and that is why we have kept a certain criteria for candidates. Only those candidates will be considered who meet our eligibility process," Ashraf said, aware Malik does not have coaching badges.
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PPL will soon overtake IPL
@mike shinoda: Was not the tour of world xi a joke to you bollywood fanatics as well
you can not think in isolation, look at the law and order situation in the country, no one is safe and the state is helpless in providing security to its own citizens, the first priority is to improve law and order and that i don't see that improving in the near future, it will be a folly to start international cricket .....
Don;t be so hurried Zaka Ashraf Sahab. Ours is not a manufacturing economy it can't afford to pay the foreign players. Only after the government brings law and order can the manufacturing industry grow and flourish that is when we can think of holding such an event of any decent level. For that we need Rural Land Ceiling in place. It is a long story. Mark my words and keep in record and read after the PPL is over. Match results with my statement then.
I appreciate his clear stance for Saleem Malik. There is no place for people like him to still stay connected to cricket. It has become a habit for corrupt Pakistanis to buy some time and get back as our nation suffer from long term memory disorder.
ppl is going to be a joke....get ready....!!!!!!!!!!!!!