Sports

Kashmir primed to be PSL’s sixth franchise

Sethi confirmed truth in reports with revelatory tweet on Saturday

Nabeel Hashmi April 23, 2016

Players from AJK have been participating in domestic tournaments since a long time but never has a team specific to the region ever been formed. PHOTO COURTESY: PSL

KARACHI: Next year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) is expected to be more competitive as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to introduce an additional team, Kashmir, in its second edition, expected to start in February next year.

The addition of Kashmir will certainly send shockwaves around the world given its geo-political importance to both Pakistan and arch-rival India.

Players from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have been participating in domestic tournaments since a long time, but never has a team specific to the region been formed before, even in the glitzy and glamorous Indian Premier League.

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Reports had been circulating around in the media that an additional team is expected to be part of next year’s PSL roster and PSL Governing Council Chairman Najam Sethi confirmed the truth in those reports when he tweeted that: “My dream is to launch a sixth team, Kashmir, in the PSL this year. Hope our five franchisees will support me in this initiative.”

The move has been backed by Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi openly, while other franchise owners have opted to remain silent, with sources suggesting they will make their announcements in the first week of May.

Javed, meanwhile, stated that if the PSL management intends to carry out a vote for the induction of a sixth team, his vote will be for Kashmir. “If the management starts a vote of confidence for another team in the PSL, I’ll strongly recommend Kashmir as it gives a soft message to the world’s sports arena,” said Afridi.

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He further added that the initiative should not be restricted to just AJK but plans should be made to induct players even from Indian-occupied Kashmir.

“I feel that the initiative shouldn’t be restricted to AJK and we should find ways of incorporating cricketers from Indian-occupied Kashmir too,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2016.

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COMMENTS (44)

Zayam Shahid | 8 years ago | Reply Wow, awesome news. We'd love to see our team in the PSL. Just a great idea. And about indians, well PSL is already a 'parosi sarrgya league' for them. Lolz, must go for it PCB. Really appreciate it (y) From Rawlakot, AJK

Anne | 8 years ago | Reply @bharat that is the silliest idea I have ever heard. Surely you can show the bruising of your ego in another manner, rather than spouting concocted tales.

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Politically Incorrect | 8 years ago | Reply But I thought Pakistan considers all of Jammu & Kashmir, an independent territory? The truth comes out in weird ways sometimes.

Someone | 8 years ago | Reply @Iqbal: Your 80% income, or even if it is 99%, is useless and good for nothing as it has no bearing on the quality of international cricket being played. So you may as well keep the money with yourself - we are already seeing evidence of that in the corruption ridden IPL where whole teams get banned every year or so. And BCCI has no right to place any sort of ban. International players will not like to see an Indian board dictating their affairs and stopping them from making extra money on top of IPL. Any such move will boomerang back on India and IPL and be a shot in their own foot.

Iqbal | 8 years ago | Reply @ABC: Am I wrong in assuming that over 80% of global's cricket income comes from India? If so, that must be one of the reasons why PSL has no future. Remember no international team want to travel to the Land of the Pure. The country has failed (it is not failing).

khurram shahzad | 8 years ago | Reply @sunil vohra: india must realize this fact as soon as possible that they are not United States to dictate other countries. Jammu & Kashmir is disputed territory and india herself took this matter to United Nations not Pakistan. Once UNSC has given its ruling in favor of plebiscite in J&K india has been running from it.

Zouggik | 8 years ago | Reply How about creating a team from Balochistan? Very few people left in that region who could play cricket. It will be solid camaraderie to say that Balochistan is in Pakistan - we are giving them equal rights and not only hunting down their resources. Sounds good, huh?

ABC | 8 years ago | Reply I see a shortage of "Burnol" in coming days on the other side of the border :D

ABC | 8 years ago | Reply @Vectra: IPL is nothing without international players. So go ahead and ban everyone. No one wants to see flat track bullies, IPL is all about international player. On the serious note, its good that someone is helping you to construct sentences now.

Mabbas | 8 years ago | Reply What about Gilgit-Baltistan.

Ajeet | 8 years ago | Reply The mullah traitors in Kashmir will be dealt with, but Please will now die out.

i | 8 years ago | Reply ..PSL on the other hand included an Afghan player from the first edition itself... No surprise there, the PSL needs Afghan players because: 1. You need 11 players per team, since most good player don't want play in pakistan. 2. Afghan players are as good or better than Pakistanis players as the had shown in t20 world cup.

Vivek Vaid | 8 years ago | Reply Jammu ???come here in Jammu and we will teach you the love people of jammu has for India

Anz | 8 years ago | Reply Let's first see you put your money (if you have any) where your mouth is.

Zain | 8 years ago | Reply Ahh..nothing will happen...we have seen PCB talking, big but changing stance and humiliating nation again and again....PCB don't have guts to take bold stance

Qaim Nazeer | 8 years ago | Reply If this happens, it will be good for kashmir cause. But only doing this will not be of significant importance. Big real world steps are needed to solve this issue. Nonetheless good step. I appreciate.

Human | 8 years ago | Reply Not a bad move at all. Though unfortunately our Indian friends seem to have taken things to heart here. We have the liberated (Azad) Kashmir here, we go there regularly. It is not under curfew 300 days out of the year's 365. Also don't worry, we won't have 'liberate Kashmir' banners in PSL. And a piece of advice: watch what your govt is doing about Baluchistan- no mention of Balouch 'separatists' since the Kalbhushan fiasco for India. Regards.

haseeb azam | 8 years ago | Reply For all of u advocating the PCB is running into politics must be informed that AJK- Kashmir is constitutionally administered part of Pakistan not forming part of any Province by definition. We have four provinces and four administrative units and AJK is one of them... Its our administered unit being part of Pakistan.... We are not obliged to ask permission form any Indian...We will do whatever we want... Only Haters n those suffers from the disease called "Pakistan-Phobia" are feeling the pain in theirs A***s.

Imran | 8 years ago | Reply @Anon: That's funny coz how many afghan players have till date played in the IPL? IPL has been around for what 8 years. PSL on the other hand included an Afghan player from the first edition itself. That itself tells a whole story.

Imran | 8 years ago | Reply PSL was a blockbuster here in the Kashmir Valley, the only downside being people here could only watch it on cable. On the other hand, would absolutely love to see cricketers from Kashmir play in PSL. Really appreciate this.

Vectra | 8 years ago | Reply @Anon: "Good…now soon afghan and baloch players will be seen in IPL…baloch supporters having signboards will be seen in ipl matches" Billion Indian can also do the same job done,take the bill board showing free balochistan in every Indian match in both ICC and IPL.The global telecast of India,the largest in the world will have ripple effect on pakistan worldwide

Umair | 8 years ago | Reply Should have been from Gilgit Baltistan instead of Kashmir. Don't politicize the event right at the beginning.

Someone | 8 years ago | Reply @Raghavan: Indian channels did not broadcast PSL in the first edition even. That's why hordes of Indians were following it online (33% of streaming traffic was from India). So there goes your broadcasting rights argument down the drain. Indian viewership is unnecessary.

Sumit | 8 years ago | Reply Mark my words...as always nothing will happen .... it's all about public consumption, spineless PCB doesn't have the guts to make it in real

Anon | 8 years ago | Reply Good...now soon afghan and baloch players will be seen in IPL...baloch supporters having signboards will be seen in ipl matches

Ehsan | 8 years ago | Reply Now Indian readers will come with lame comments here and say "end of PSL is near" haha.. funny!!

bharat | 8 years ago | Reply IPL is getting continued requests to include Baluchistan, Pakhtoonistan, Saraikistan, Sindhudesh, Gilgit-baltistan. IPL management is considering the requests sympathatically and will take a decision before next season.

Someone | 8 years ago | Reply Is IPL not already politicised by banning players from one nationality? There is nothing wrong with PSL reciprocating accordingly. @sunil vohra: There is no such rule where you ban players in your league if they play in another country's league. If BCCI makes such a move, IPL will lose its own credibility and will end up suffering losses. Such a decision will no doubt also be challenged and will invoke sanctions on IPL.

Raghavan | 8 years ago | Reply India will block all channels that telecast PSL causing sponsorship financial loss to PCB. Javed Afridi/Najam sethi choose your words.

Aman Ullah | 8 years ago | Reply @sunil vohra: chauvinism forced you wrote this words ????

SKS | 8 years ago | Reply wasnt he the same person who said politics & SPORTS shouldnt mix? Thank you Mr. Sethi, end of PSL is now near now.

ronnie | 8 years ago | Reply end of psl is near, if they start politcs

Vectra | 8 years ago | Reply Is Kashmir will be the name of team??Then BCCI will simply issue global warnings to go for this international players and talk to cricket board around the world to not let any international player to this team and reject the bidding of this team.Any player found in this team will be barred from IPL.

one | 8 years ago | Reply This is only to make fire intense by adding combustion fuel in it, well Gilgit will be suitable name for the team not kashmir fool, as the Franchises have the names of cities not the districts, totally absurd idea.

observe'r | 8 years ago | Reply @aka: "What about Gilgit Baltistan?" It is part of Kashmir.

anand misra | 8 years ago | Reply If PBC will play this type of cheep politics, we request to BCCI to ban all the players in IPL who like to play PSL in future.

sunil vohra | 8 years ago | Reply All International players will be banned in IPL,if they support PSL in including Kashmir as the 6th team next year

Iqbal Aftab | 8 years ago | Reply Really Good Move! Gilgit-Baltistan shall be in the Third Edition, Maybe! Pakistan supports Kashmir; Anywhere, and Everywhere!

Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply Nice Move...

Omar Sadiq | 8 years ago | Reply GOOD decision!

James Sutherland, Sydney | 8 years ago | Reply Start of the End of PSL by bringing suicidal politics which Pakistan is good at.

aka | 8 years ago | Reply What about Gilgit Baltistan?

Fayez Mufti | 8 years ago | Reply Kashmir all the way

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