PCB eyeing IPL-style league

Lahore: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf said the PCB is considering the possibility of organising a Twenty20 event on the lines of the Indian Premier League, here.

"We are already studying the prospects of organising our own premier league and we have also started holding discussions with our potential sponsors," Ashraf told reporters.

The PCB chief said the idea was to organise an annual league on the lines of the IPL and also invite foreign players to take part in it for franchise teams.

Eyeing a league along the lines of the IPL, the PCB has started holding discussions with its potential sponsors.

"It is true that no foreign team has toured Pakistan since 2009 and security issues are raised by teams about playing in Pakistan. But I am pretty confident that this year the scenario will improve and we should soon be in a position to also organise our own premier league and get foreign players here," he said.

During the tenure of former chairman of the board Nasim Ashraf in 2007 and 2008, the PCB had invited presentations from foreign event management companies and also spoken to potential sponsors regarding the league.

But after Ijaz Butt replaced Ashraf as chairman, the idea was shelved particularly after the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in early 2009 led to foreign teams completely shunning Pakistan as an international venue and Pakistan being forced to play its 'home' series abroad.

Zaka said the board had decided to invite Bangladesh to tour Pakistan after the Asia Cup this year.

"After it was conveyed to us by the BCCI that revival of bilateral ties depended on clearance from their government we also decided to consult our ministries after which we came up with the alternative solution of inviting Bangladesh to tour Pakistan," he said.

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