"What kind of league is this? There is a new issue every year" - Danish Kaneria on PCB's management of PSL
Former spinner Danish Kaneria has expressed his displeasure over reports of a rift between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Punjab government amid the ongoing eighth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2023).
The Punjab government had asked the PCB to bear 50% of the cost incurred for providing security for PSL 2023 matches in Lahore and Rawalpindi, which the board refused to do. According to reports from Pakistani media, the matches would have been shifted to Karachi if the dispute between the two parties hadn't been resolved.
Reacting to the same, Kaneria mentioned that these issues should not have been made public, as it tarnishes the reputation of the PCB. The 42-year-old believes that the board should have agreed to the demands of the Punjab government.
He pointed out how a new problem related to the PSL crops up every season.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaneria said:
"You claim that it is the No. 1 league in the world, but ruin its reputation by doing such things. If the PCB has spent a lot of money on the tournament, they should have also paid the government the money. This should not have been made public, as the reputation of the board is likely to take a hit. What kind of league is this? There is a new issue every year."
It is worth noting that the issue between the PCB and the Punjab government has finally been resolved. Lahore and Rawalpindi will continue to host the scheduled matches of PSL 2023.
"Things are not going well for Pakistan cricket" - Danish Kaneria on PSL's future
Danish Kaneria further stated that the PCB will have to invest a lot if they want the PSL to reach greater heights. He mentioned that not many top stars would be willing to participate in the league if the board doesn't pay them well.
The former cricketer suggested that the future doesn't seem to be very bright at the moment for Pakistan cricket or the franchise-based T20 league, elaborating:
"I don't know how the PCB is going to make the PSL bigger. You will have to invest a lot more money to bring in top stars. However, things are not going well for Pakistan cricket or the PSL."
Notably, PSL was recently in the news for all the wrong reasons after a total of eight CCTV cameras installed at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for security were found stolen.
8 CCTV cameras installed at the Gaddafi Stadium to monitor PSL have been stolen. (Reported by Ary News).
The upcoming 16th match of PSL 2023 will be played between the Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United at the Gaddafi Stadium on Monday, February 27.