Pakistan have announced plans for an international Twenty20 competition to be held in October 2008, featuring foreign stars and six franchised teams.
It will be different from the domestic one played for two years in Pakistan.
“The Pakistan Premier League is part of the International Champions League, approved by the ICC, and will be run by five boards,” a spokesman said. Each team will comprise four foreign players, four regional players and the rest retired and under-21 players
PCB plans Premier League from next year
Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE - The Pakistan Cricket Board will start a Premier Cricket League next year similar to the Indian Premier League announced by the BCCI last week. PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf has come up with the idea for implementing it in Pakistan after attending the board chairmen’s meeting in India that reviewed and decided to launch the Premier League with Twenty20 format.
The purpose of initiating this league is to benefit the players to the most financially and their sign up would be conditioned to availability for the country,” Dr Ashraf said in a press conference here Saturday.
“We have a flexible Twenty20 Tournament and before going for the Premier League that would most probably would be held next year, it would be reviewed and launched through franchise.
“The players would be allowed to play in the League but with a condition of availability for the country. In the case of India Cricket League, there was a clause that the player will be bound with the ICL and that was why Pakistan players were asked not to join it. But this new concept that will be launched with the help of franchise would no only benefit the financially but would also have a chance to play with international players. While the top two teams of the Premier League will figure in the Super League, which will have two teams each from India, Australia, South Africa and England,” said he.
He further stated that the concept is that the franchise of the regional country can take part in the PCL. Like New Zealand can play in Australia and Bangladesh would offered to play in PPL.
“There will be four under-21 players in the team, four regional players and then the team can have four international players through franchise. And the players will be joining the team after a bid but there will be obligation by law to release the player when his country require him.”
The PCB chairman felt that this franchise model would prove revolutionary in cricket like it has been in rugby, football, basketball etc.
He further stated that the current concept if Twenty20 League is highly commercially attractive.
On ICL, he stated that all the Pakistan players who have joined and are about to join are advised to return. “We want them for Pakistan. I have contacted Mohammad Yousuf twice and are also holding a reception in his honour. “In fact his test player of the year award is an honour for Pakistan. We will he holding a feast for the star batsman and huge bounties await him,” said he. On Imran Farhat, he said that the offer is open for all the Pakistan players. I called him twice and asked him to return.
It must be mentioned here that on the one hand the PCB is asking him to return and on the other he was served with notice.
He further stated that he has made it clear that he will not interfere in the selection process but want the Pakistan talent available for the country and the purpose of launching this league is to benefit the players who are not selected for some reasons.
On burn out, he said that the player should be super fit for selection in the league team. “It will improve the fitness level of the players and to the maximum it would be an event of two weeks.
“Some of the top players of the world were consulted before its launch, which will be more in favour of the players,” he added.
He further stated that there will not be any compromise of discipline. “In Shoaib Akhtar’s case all aspects will be looked into but after the World Cup and due process will be followed. But he twisted the answer on the previous case of indiscipline and did not even went in details of Akhtar’s hara kere in the PCB offices when he was handed RS 300,000 fine. Akhter then kicked the doors of the PCB officials and even used bad language but with a threat of joining the ICL was left Scot Free.
The purpose of initiating this league is to benefit the players to the most financially and their sign up would be conditioned to availability for the country,” Dr Ashraf said in a press conference here Saturday.
Weren't the same terms and conditions also a part of ICL's contract signing, that a player (any player), if required by his country, would be made available for selection?
On ICL, he stated that all the Pakistan players who have joined and are about to join are advised to return. “We want them for Pakistan. I have contacted Mohammad Yousuf twice and are also holding a reception in his honour. “In fact his test player of the year award is an honour for Pakistan. We will he holding a feast for the star batsman and huge bounties await him,” said he.
"Said he"?
A masterminded PCB's completely revolutionized and historic U-turn. Serve your country men with all the dirt and filth and mop up the place at your convenience later.
On a separate note, it has become very necessary for the paper boys to have decent editors in place. Basic command over English language while distributing your media across the world is just part of the package that one has to learn along before committing mistakes after the paper is published. Just does not send out a good impression.
If PCL can pull off a stunt of aligning itself with with ICL,setting off a trend for other Asian and major boards to support ICL then they can overcome BCCI's dadagiri in ICC.BCCI is ruling coz of revevue generated from cricket in india.BCCI for most of its history was influnced by Mumbaities except for the period of Dalmia.Latest point in case is the resignation of Dravid as captain(i think under duress) to clear way for tendulkar(even though knowing that he is not a captain material).
P.S. Laloo Prasad Yadav has shown inclination for BCCI presidentship.And if he becomes one then hope he change cricket in india like he turned around indian railways from loss-making to profit making industry.
Relax this is an old thread and I am reviving it :). Do not think that PCB has announced anything today after the cancellation of Indian tour.
So off late we have heard few voices ( Raja, Akhtar) urging PCB to re-start their planning for PPL. May sound like desperate approach but in reality I agree that PCB needs to think outside the box now to generate revenues and PPL could be one option.
Tte arguement will be that when foreign teams are not visiting Pakistan then how can PCB sustain an international league which will feaure International players as well. Well.. when foreign teams decide not to tour Pakistan, there are always some players who don't agree with the decision of their boards. Personally I think those who have a problem with Pakistan are the ones who don't care much about the security but mainly have problem with the fact that Pakistan will not not be able to provide them enough "off the field entertainment venues" which are easily accesible in other countries.
If PCB really wants PPL to kick off in future then they need to target players who sincerely want to play cricket and earn money. Featuring players from subcontinent and a small chunk from rest of the countires the PPL might not be a difficult prospect in near future.
Well, with the global recession and PCB cutting it's staff, where is the needed cash going to come from to lure international cricketers let alone start a new internal league? If PCB features and invites players from sub-continent, will they choose PPL over, say IPL? Sri Lanka already have a deal with BCCI of $750 million bailout for the next 10 years, their players will feature in IPL every year, so any chances of them representing PPL are bleak. Bangladesh players were earning a hefty amount with their Dhaka Warriors team. PCB has to have finance to start a business. England tried to run BCCI's version of IPL by playing a game with Stanford Superstars and it is turning out in tatters since it happened.
