PCB mulls holding PSL4 opening ceremony in Pakistan

Other key issues were also discussed in latest board meeting

No extra payment: The foreign players who are willing to come to play in Pakistan would not be given additional or compensational fees in PSL4. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI:
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is discussing the possibility of holding next season’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) opening ceremony as well as some matches in Pakistan.

The issue was brought up in a recently concluded PCB meeting in Lahore where board officials and league franchise representatives were present.

According to the details of the meeting, the PCB has held positive talks over holding some matches and the opening ceremony of next season’s PSL in Pakistan.

It was also decided that players who are not willing to travel to Pakistan would not be drafted in the competition and those players who are willing to come to play in Pakistan would not be given additional or compensational fees.

During the meeting, the franchises also submitted their complaints over the level of umpiring seen during PSL3 and have asked the board to improve upon that in the next edition.


The PCB, meanwhile, suggested that the franchises should improve the bonuses of the players, with recommendations for tax deductions even from the salaries of foreign players.

The third edition of the Pakistan Super League had its final in Karachi, signaling the return of top-level cricket to the city after nearly a decade since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team bus.

The two knockout play-off games of the tournament, meanwhile, took place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Cricket is slowly returning to the country and Sethi has insisted that he wants the entire PSL to come to Pakistan sooner rather than later.

Recent successful hosting of international matches — against World XI, Sri Lanka and the West Indies — in Pakistan mean franchises are now in a stronger position to convince their players to come to Pakistan.

New Zealand recently revealed that they are also mulling the possibility of touring the country as part of their away series against Pakistan. Australia, however, have emphatically ruled out coming to Pakistan in the near future, which means there is a likelihood that few if any Australian players will be featuring in PSL.
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