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- Dubai 05:14 06:30 12:06 15:11 17:35 18:52
PCB officials, cricketers and former greats watch as former ICC chief and PSL advisor Haroon Lorgat unveils the logo of PSL. (Photo courtesy PCB)
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) which will be staged in the UAE promises to be the next biggest happening after the IPL (Indian Premier League), according to former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi.
Kevin Pietersen, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Luke Wright, Shakib al Hassan, Lasith Malinga, Sunil Narine, and Angelo Mathews are some of the big names who have consented to play in the new T20 extravaganza which will be held from February 4 to February 24 in Dubai and Sharjah.
A total of 24 matches will be played over a 21-day period.
Sethi believed the PSL would be the second biggest T20 competition after the glitzy IPL offering up to $1 million in prize money. Each franchise will be able to draft players and coaches for the team within a budget of $1 million.
"The PSL has already floated tenders for broadcasters and producers. This will be followed by a tendering process for sponsorships in the second week of October. Franchise owners will be inducted between mid to end November after which the foreign and local players will be drafted and teams constituted," said Sethi, Chairman of the Governing Council of the PSL.
The teams will comprise the top T20 players from the world with the latest tally of foreign player signing consents standing at an impressive 132, according to a PCB release. The players will be selected through a draft process in December.
"There is a pool of top coaches also from which franchise owners will be able to pick and chose," said Sethi who expressed optimism that the PSL would give a great boost to the country’s cricket by providing players an opportunity to play with top international cricketers.
Talking in a TV programme, Sethi said that each of the five teams participating in the event would have to include four foreign and two local budding players in the squad, APP reported.
“Even the new cricketers will get at least $25,000 each,” he said adding the PSL would also help make PCB financially independent.
The money earned through the PSL, he said would be utilised to develop cricket in the country with the franchises getting a 75 per cent share.
Sethi revealed that 20 eligible parties had expressed interest to buy the five franchises while every franchise would hire former Pakistani players as consultants.
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