Paan Singh
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KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Boards (PCB) plan of organising the inaugural Pakistan Premier League (PPL) keeps getting delayed.
While the board is going all-out in staging the event in March next year, the schedule of the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League is hampering PCBs plans, according to an official close to the matter.
Earlier, the PCB announced to organise the league in October 2012 but delayed the plan to March due to a number of reasons. According to the official, the PCBs senior management held various meetings in the boards headquarters last week with chairman Zaka Ashraf keen to start the league, which he believes will help in reviving international cricket in Pakistan.
However, next years IPL, which is expected to be played between April 4 to May 26, may push the Pakistans Twenty20 competition further.
The PCB is planning to hold the event from March 15, stretching to about 15 to 18 days after Pakistans tour of South Africa.
Its a tricky situation for the PCB, the official told The Express Tribune. The schedule of the two leagues is very close together and that may affect our plans in many ways including the availability of prominent players and broadcasting issues to name a few.
We might have to push the PPL further but right now we are focusing on staging it in March.
PCB has hired consultants
In the meantime, due to the slow progress of the international cricket department, headed by former captain Intikhab Alam, in organising the event, the PCB has hired consultants to make the league a possibility, added the official.
Badar Rafae, a key figure in promoting cricket in the US, and Salman Sarwar Butt, known as a pioneer of PCBs Super Eight Twenty20 event, will work for the PPL.
While the PCB did not confirm hiring the consultants, the official said both have signed contracts with the board recently.
Both are members of the committee who will report to the PCB chairman regarding the PPL. The committee is headed by [PCB director general] Javed Miandad.
They were chosen due to their vast experience in organising tournaments and their relations with franchises and foreign players.
Meanwhile, the PCB will prefer holding the first edition simultaneously in Karachi and Lahore with five teams representing the provinces tipped to take part.
While the board is going all-out in staging the event in March next year, the schedule of the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League is hampering PCBs plans, according to an official close to the matter.
Earlier, the PCB announced to organise the league in October 2012 but delayed the plan to March due to a number of reasons. According to the official, the PCBs senior management held various meetings in the boards headquarters last week with chairman Zaka Ashraf keen to start the league, which he believes will help in reviving international cricket in Pakistan.
However, next years IPL, which is expected to be played between April 4 to May 26, may push the Pakistans Twenty20 competition further.
The PCB is planning to hold the event from March 15, stretching to about 15 to 18 days after Pakistans tour of South Africa.
Its a tricky situation for the PCB, the official told The Express Tribune. The schedule of the two leagues is very close together and that may affect our plans in many ways including the availability of prominent players and broadcasting issues to name a few.
We might have to push the PPL further but right now we are focusing on staging it in March.
PCB has hired consultants
In the meantime, due to the slow progress of the international cricket department, headed by former captain Intikhab Alam, in organising the event, the PCB has hired consultants to make the league a possibility, added the official.
Badar Rafae, a key figure in promoting cricket in the US, and Salman Sarwar Butt, known as a pioneer of PCBs Super Eight Twenty20 event, will work for the PPL.
While the PCB did not confirm hiring the consultants, the official said both have signed contracts with the board recently.
Both are members of the committee who will report to the PCB chairman regarding the PPL. The committee is headed by [PCB director general] Javed Miandad.
They were chosen due to their vast experience in organising tournaments and their relations with franchises and foreign players.
Meanwhile, the PCB will prefer holding the first edition simultaneously in Karachi and Lahore with five teams representing the provinces tipped to take part.
