“Important we attract players like AB de Villiers”- PCB CEO explains how PSL can match IPL in the future
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO Wasim Khan admitted the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will take some time to reach the heights of the IPL. He explained the board’s roadmap for the T20 league, emphasizing how the PSL needs to attract top-level players like AB de Villiers to match the Indian Premier League’s stature.
Comparisons between PSL and IPL have been rife in recent months, with multiple players touching upon how the two tournaments stack up against each other. Being the most famous T20 league in the world, IPL is firmly ahead of PSL in all criteria, consistently attracting players from all over the world.
PCB CEO Wasim Khan spoke to Cricket Pakistan about the comparisons between the two leagues and explained how the board plans on catching up to its Indian counterpart in the coming years.
“Our target is to develop the ecosystem and the economy of PSL so that we can spend extra on players. We will only be able to do that once we see franchises making profits. Only then can we encourage them to start spending more money on the players themselves. It isn’t a long process and we are developing it every year. But the calibre of players is crucial too, and it is important we attract players like AB de Villiers who play in the IPL to the PSL,” Khan claimed.
Starting in 2008, IPL has a clear advantage over all the other T20 leagues and is a well-established entity on the global stage. From exorbitant broadcasting deals to marquee player contracts, the IPL dwarfs the PSL in all areas right now.
Wasim Khan admits it may take some time for PSL to match the IPL, explaining how the high salaries offered in the IPL help it to attract big players to the league.
“We have developed the PSL brand over the last few years. Since starting in 2016, it has developed consistently each year. We are trying to grow it further, but if you compare it to the IPL, you will see they are paying players 2-3 million dollars to their high-level players. If you hand out these amounts, you will surely attract the high-level players,” Khan explained.
AB de Villiers last played in PSL 2019
While the PSL attracts several franchise specialists, it still isn’t high on the list of the top stars across the globe. AB de Villiers has played in the PSL just once, with the South African ace turning out for the Lahore Qalandars in 2019. He lit up the tournament on that occasion, scoring 218 runs in seven games with an impressive average of 54.50
But the star batsman has not featured in the tournament since, with several other players also prioritizing other leagues over the PSL.
After being abruptly halted earlier this year due to bio-bubble breaches, the remaining games of PSL 2021 will resume from June 9 in the UAE.