(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Pakistan will host the first edition of it's lucrative Twenty20 league in Doha next year, details revealed here yesterday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had planned a Super Twenty20 league in 2013 but had to postpone it twice - in 2014 and 2015 - over a lack of response from sponsors and logistics problems.
However, following extensive discussions with Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) officials earlier this week, PCB yesterday confirmed the event was coming to Doha.
Najam Sethi, who headed a PCB delegation to Doha, yesterday announced the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held from February 4-24 next year.
The tournament will carry collective prize money of up to $1m.
The event will be held at Doha's new cricket venue in Industrial Area which can easily house around 25,000 fans.
The 20-day event will feature around 25 foreign players, Sethi said.
"The wait is now over and we are here to tell you of our intent to stage the PSL. The way we see it, PSL is not just about cricket. It is a unique blend of entertainment and cricket which will be the most exciting Pakistani product," Sethi said in a statement released by PCB yesterday.
After extensive negotiations with various stakeholders, the PSL Governing Council has decided to lock Doha as its preferred location for the tournament.
The 5-team tournament will take place in February next year with a total of 24 matches scheduled to take place in the first edition.
"We are starting with five teams in order to build the value of our franchises and we will expand the number of teams in the coming editions," Sethi said.
Top foreign players from all Test-playing nations except India have expressed interest in signing up for the PSL.
As of now, the PSL team has consent from over 40 international players.
In addition, top foreign coaches are also being roped in for the first edition of the PSL. Sethi also informed the press about the interest of potential commercial stakeholders in the league.
"I can confirm that a number of parties are currently talking to us and are interested in picking up the franchises. Similarly, we have great interest being shown from broadcasters and sponsors," Sethi said.
In line with the tournament commercial plan, rights for broadcast, sponsorship and franchise ownership will be sold over the next three months.
With the event venue locked, the formal PSL launch will take place in Lahore in the third week of September.
"We are in talks with 40 foreign players and we expect some 25 to sign for the league and out of these 15 will be world class players," Sethi said.
Four West Indians and two players each from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa were amongst the targeted names, Sethi said.
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