LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering to host the playoffs of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 10 at an overseas venue, Geo News reported on Saturday.
The proposal suggests three potential venues in England for the four crucial playoff matches. Among the proposed venues are iconic stadiums such as Manchester, Birmingham, and The Oval in London.
This move is anticipated to bring several advantages to the PSL, especially considering England's status as a cricketing powerhouse and the presence of the tournament's main broadcaster in the country.
With England being home to a large diaspora of cricket fans, including those from Pakistan and India, the decision to opt for neutral venues in the country aims to attract a broader audience and enhance the tournament's global appeal.
While Australia was also considered as a potential venue during discussions at the general council meeting of the PSL, the focus appears to be on England for now. However, further consultations are expected to take place regarding the selection of neutral venues for the playoffs.
The timeline for these deliberations suggests that the PSL Governing Council meeting, scheduled for the third week of May, will serve as a crucial platform for finalising the tournament's window and deciding on the neutral venues.
It must be noted the 10th edition of the PSL could take place in April-May next year.
The decision has been taken because the event will clash with the ICC Champions Trophy in the February-March window.
According to sources, the window between April 8 and May 20 has been suggested by the PCB to the PSL franchises. However, it will clash with the Indian Premier League which usually takes place around the same window.
The window has been decided after taking into account players’ availability and workload management.
The PCB will also give all the franchises the option to sign a marquee player for the next edition of the event. The marquee players will be signed during the next couple of months. The PCB will also offer financial support to franchises over signing marquee players.
Sohail Imran Sohail Imran is a senior reporter for Geo News.