Debunking myths surrounding PSL

A lot of false notions and misconceptions regarding the league have cropped up

KARACHI: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is already eight matches old but still continues to remain somewhat of a misunderstood commodity among many in the country, and in order to fill these gaps in information, a lot of myths have started appearing regarding the league.

We take a look at a few in order to debunk them and set the record straight.

1. Karachi were pre-tournament favourites because they are the most expensive side

While Karachi Kings were indeed the most expensive franchise when they were bought for 10 years by the ARY Group for $26 million, it has nothing to do with them being the strongest side.



In a bid to ensure that all teams are equally matched, the PSL management capped spending on both players and coaches. The teams were only allowed to spend between $900,000 and $1.1 million on the players.

However, even that amount could not be spent as per the teams’ choosing. Each player category already had a specific price and quota attached to it. So for example, each team had to buy one icon player apiece at $200,000 and three platinum players at $140,000 each.

The only decisions the teams were allowed to make were which players they chose and how many players they kept in their squad. With two teams — Karachi and Quetta — opting for 19 players, and the other three opting for 20, the difference in spending is minimal at best.



The $26m amount was to buy the franchise rather than the team — with several non-cricketing factors such as marketability and potential sponsors surely taken into consideration.

Karachi were many people’s pre-tournament favourites due to their management’s canny planning and good player selection, rather than due to their spending prowess.

2. The group stages will be followed by semi-finals

The top four sides will qualify for the next round but they will not face off in a conventional semi-final format where first meets fourth and second plays third.

Instead, an Indian Premier League-style knockout will follow the group stages. The first match after the group stages would be on February 19 between first and second place, the winner of which will qualify for the final on February 23. The loser, however, will not be eliminated.



The match will be followed by a clash between third and fourth place. The loser will be eliminated, while the winner will play the loser of the match between first and second. The winner of that match will take to the field in the final against the winner of the first-versus-second match.

This means that the teams finishing in the top two essentially get two bites at the cherry in their bid to reach the final. It also means that, other than bragging rights, there is no difference between first and second, nor between third and fourth.

3. A lack of attendance means the PSL is struggling

With the tournament taking place in the UAE, the Pakistan Cricket Board was always aware of the fact that stadiums would not be filled like they would have been had the league taken place in Pakistan. However, that would have meant many of the international stars taking part would not have signed up for the league; draining it of its star power.

The PSL management has made it clear from day one that they are focusing on TV viewership over ticket sales. The strategy makes sense — the much higher number of people watching from home mean more sponsors and hence more money.

Attendances are also expected to pick up in Sharjah but even if they don’t, it is TV ratings that would be the making or breaking of the PSL.

With live streaming on YouTube reaching 180 countries, along with a plethora of international channels broadcasting the league across the globe, the PSL is off to a promising start.

4. The PSL is bad for the country as it’s dividing cities

Very few sporting rivalries translate into real world hatred when it comes to important matters. On the contrary, sport has been known to fix many broken political ties.

There is bound to be some harmless banter between the residents of the five cities, especially as fans start to gradually take ownership of their sides, but they seldom spill over from the sporting field into the real world — nor should they.

The PSL provides the country’s people something to cheer about and, with very few entertainment opportunities available, a priceless source of distraction from their everyday lives.

And while the matches may be taking place in the UAE, the league not only helps the cricket board and the players financially but the plethora of sponsors — both local and international — can only be good for the country’s economy not to mention the jobs that it is creating for Pakistanis.

In short, the league is beneficial for all parties involved, and if the only downside of all this is being at the end of some banter when your team loses, then so be it.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th,  2016.

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