IPL is so far the undisputed king of league tournaments across the globe since its dawn. Many countries across the globe tried to replicate its success of IPL and so far no one was able to make it that huge. Now our budding neighbor is trying to build up a league of its own to over shadow IPL. Will it succeed?
The nation’s celebrities came together in Lahore on Sunday to give the Pakistan Super League a glamorous introduction. Designed like the now famous Indian Premier League, the Twenty20 tournament has been scheduled in either Qatar or UAE in February 2016.
A product of Pakistan Cricket Board, the Pakistan Super League, is making all the right noises. Some of the world’s leading T20 cricketers like Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen and Lasith Malinga, have agreed to play and home-spun big boys like Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammed Hafeez are expected to add hype to an ambitious project, headed by ex-PCB boss Najam Sethi.
On Sunday, the PSL got off to a rocking start with Ali Zafar singing the tournament anthem — Khel Ke Dikha Denge Aaj. With most Test-playing nations refusing to tour Pakistan for reasons of security, the nation has been in need of a product to catch world attention. PSL could give PCB the much-needed relief.
PSL governing council Sethi said: “We want everyone to know that we are here and we are here with a purpose. We will not settle for anything less than making PSL one of the leading products that has ever come out of Pakistan.”
Two veteran stars and former skippers – Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja – are backing the tournament. Both Akram and Raja have covered events around the globe and their good advice will surely matter.
“I have experienced cricket and entertainment going together in various parts of the world but to now get associated with a Pakistani product is an entirely different experience. I think Pakistanis will proudly own the PSL,” said Raja.
According to reports, around 10 parties have shown active interest in buying the five teams up for grabs in the first edition of the PSL. The four provincial capitals Quetta, Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar will be joined by Islamabad in a 24-match tournament.
Can PCB do the impossible? Can they challenge the quality and enormity of IPL? only time will tell.
