News Desk |
The owners of all six Pakistan Super League franchises have agreed to hold all matches of the next season of the league in Pakistan.
Opening ceremony of the 2020 Pakistan Super League will be held in Karachi 👏
Lahore will host the final of fifth edition of the competition 🙌
There will be matches played in Multan and Rawalpindi as well 😍🇵🇰
The UAE has been made available as backup option if needed 🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/9AUn24kCix
— Cricingif (@_cricingif) August 5, 2019
The plan to hold the full tournament in Pakistan is also backed by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, under Chairman Ehsan Mani has been trying for some time to convince owners to agree to this plan. However, the owners had been initially reluctant to agree to such a plan.
Read more: PM congratulates PCB for holding successful PSL in Pakistan
However, the matter was cleared after PCB Chairman Mani met the owners in a local hotel yesterday.
Still, the owners and management have expressed concerns on whether the foreign players will be willing to stay in Pakistan for the full length of the tournament.
The PCB hopes that the foreign players will attend after the experience of last season, when the last eight matches were held in Karachi. The matches had seen an electric atmosphere as teams played in front of packed stadiums day after day.
A high number of foreign players had participated in the tournament’s leg in Pakistan. The staff of the broadcaster including the foreign commentators had also stayed in Karachi.
The biggest news that came out of the meeting however, is that the matches in the next edition of the PSL will be held in not 1 but 4 cities of the country.
13 games will be played in Lahore, 9 matches will be played in Karachi, 8 matches will be played in Rawalpindi while 4 will be played in Multan.
Read more: ICC Chief Richardson coming to Karachi for PSL
The playoffs and finals will also be played in Lahore.
PSL 2020 to be in Pakistan, as all franchises have agreed. 13 games in Lahore, 9 in Karachi, 8 in Rawalpindi, 4 in Multan. Opening in Khi on 20th Feb. Play offs and final in Lahore.
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) August 5, 2019
However, it is unclear whether the stadiums in Rawalpindi and Multan will be in shape for holding international level contests in time for the PSL. Matches begin on February 20th.
The UAE is still being kept as a backup location.
With all matches in Pakistan, and in various stadiums instead of one the league experience of the PSL will undoubtedly be richer for fans and players alike.