PSL in UAE — better late than never

With a host of Pakistan superstars set to showcase their talent, there is no reason PSL can’t attract eye balls

Getting the Pakistan Super League up and running is not proving to be a straightforward task for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). But after some days of uncertainty, it seems that the PSL team has started streamlining its operations faster than ever. After initially announcing Doha, Qatar, as the venue for the opening edition next February, the PCB is now closing in on a much more prudent deal of locking the UAE as the host. The board had always been keen on staging the league in the UAE, considering the established cricket infrastructure and the sizable expatriate Pakistani population residing there. Doha only emerged as an option after the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) chose to allocate the February 2016 window to the organisers of the first-ever Masters Cricket League (MCL).

Last week, the PSL organisers, after extensive deliberations with the ECB, were able to strike a compromise. The ECB showed willingness to make the Dubai and Sharjah venues available for the PSL. It has reportedly realised that the PSL, with some big present-day stars on its radar, is a far more lucrative option than the MCL, which will now be held in another time slot. At the same time, Qatar cricket officials are unhappy with these developments. They believe that the PCB has dealt with them harshly after their initial pledge of hosting the league in Doha. PCB insiders, meanwhile, claim that Qatar officials would be kept on board and their interest would be salvaged even if the league moves to the UAE, which might mean staging a few games in Doha as well. The fact, though, is that the UAE is a far more viable option for the PSL compared with the still unexplored Qatar cricket market. Pakistan fans throng to the Dubai and Sharjah venues whenever an international Twenty20 or One-Day International is staged at the venues. Last year, the Indian Premier League was staged in front of packed crowds in the UAE and with names like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Kevin Pietersen and a host of Pakistan superstars set to showcase their talent in the league, there is no reason why the PSL can’t attract eye balls too.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd,   2015.

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