Re: PCB announced Premier League
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.