Rebranding old ideas: PCB announces T20 league…but it’s not PSL!

Emirates Cricket Board to be approached to finalise dates and venues

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that it will launch its own franchise-based T20 league, with the first season scheduled to take place in the UAE next year in February, but it will have a new name instead of the familiar Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi had intensified his attempts to launch Pakistan’s own high-profile T20 league and it was his idea of bringing in sponsors for regions in first-class cricket.

The idea continued to gain firm foothold in his capacity as the executive committee head with the backing of incumbent PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan, as the two continue to work together for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.

In April this year, the PCB engaged Repucom — a globally trusted company with extensive experience in the sports industry — for consultancy regarding the proposed league. Based on the company’s preliminary findings, the Board of Governors discussed three major questions related to the league.

It was decided in principle that the PCB will stage the league on its own and will not outsource it to any other organisation. It was also unanimously decided that the first edition of the league will take place in the UAE with an aim of attracting maximum number of foreign players.

It was also decided that the league’s lead manager should be a leading professional of international repute.

“We’ve decided to launch our own franchise-based T20 League in February next year in the UAE, but its name would not be PSL,” a senior PCB official told The Express Tribune.

“Consultants Repucom feel that PSL is not attractive enough and the league should have a striking name. Our work on the project starts from Monday, and the PCB delegation will visit the UAE next week to meet the Emirates Cricket Board officials to finalise the details with them regarding the dates of matches and availability of grounds, as they have other commitments as well.”

The documentation of the T20 league will be completed in a month and after that, the PCB will invite bidders to make their offers.

Repucom shortlists names for ‘lead manager’

It has been learnt that Repucom will recommend candidates for the league’s lead manager role and then it will be up to the PCB to finalise a name.

“We’ll interview shortlisted candidates selected by Repucom for the lead manager role and there is no Pakistani involved in the race. All those shortlisted are foreigners who have worked successfully with high-profile T20 leagues of the world,” said the official.

“It’s important to bring in a foreigner for such an important position to maintain the credibility of the event.”

There will be five franchises, which will be formed on the names of famous cities of Pakistan. Each team would only be allowed to field four foreign players in their playing XI, but there will be no limitation regarding how many foreign players each franchise signs up.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2015.

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