Islamabad seek match against T20 Blast winners

PSL Governing Council to consider champions’ request in next meeting

KARACHI: Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) inaugural champions Islamabad United are planning to compete against the NatWest T20 Blast winners of the current edition and have put in a formal request to the PSL Governing Council.

It has been learnt that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is yet to be contacted regarding United’s proposal.

The request will be discussed in the next PSL meeting in the first week of July, and the officials have already put it down on the agenda of the meeting.



“United intend to play the Natwest T20 Blast winner of 2016 and have told the governing council about it, but the idea is in its initial stages,” a PSL official told The Express Tribune. “From what we’ve learnt, if the ideas goes ahead, the match it likely to be played at Lord’s.”

It should be mentioned here that the PSL governing council has allowed the franchises to hold two events per year in order to generate revenue.

Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi have also discussed the prospect of playing two matches in England and are likely to put in a formal request with the board soon.



Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also inclined to host the final of PSL’s second edition in Lahore next year and the topic is a high priority on the agenda in the next meeting.

“The PSL was received very warmly in Pakistan and now there is pressure on us to hold a few matches here,” said the official. “The possibility of hosting the final will be discussed in the next meeting with the representatives of the five franchises, while there will be talk regarding transfer and retention of players.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2016.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.