The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is devising a plan to lure big players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season as a clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL) window remains a possibility, sources told Geo News on Saturday.
As Pakistan will host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in the February-March window next year, the PSL 10 will then take place during April and May.
However, the proposed window would mean a possible clash with the IPL. Since the two most popular leagues would be taking place in a similar window, the availability of big players would be a big issue for the PCB.
To tackle this problem, sources told Geo News that the PSL management, along with the franchises, will make a list of 6 to 12 players who will be guaranteed participants in the league.
"There can be minimum 6 marquee players, they can be 12 and 18 too, but 18 would be too challenging," said a source privy to the matter.
The source clarified that there won't be direct signings of marquee players, instead, they will be added to the player's draft among the platinum category but there will be a guarantee of them being available and of being picked.
These players will be offered a salary cap of around US$ 350,000 to US$ 400,000 which is around double what a normal platinum player earns in PSL.
Remember, the PCB is also considering hosting the playoffs of the PSL season 10 at an overseas venue.
The proposal suggested three potential venues in England for the four crucial playoff matches. Among the proposed venues were 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 aimed to attract a broader audience and enhance the tournament's global appeal
Faizan Lakhani Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.