Including player from team's region mandatory from PSL4: PCB

KARACHI: After much debate on non-inclusion of players from Balochistan in PSL team Quetta Gladiators, the PCB has said that it will make it mandatory for franchises to keep at least one player from the region they’re representing.

PCB Chairman Najam Sethi told the media after a meeting of PCB’s board of governors that the matter of non-inclusion of players from the province in Quetta Gladiators was discussed in the meeting.

“The matter was brought up in the meeting by Quetta region. This is not PCB’s decision and who is to be picked is totally up to the franchises,” said Sethi.

“After deliberation, we agreed that from the 4th edition of PSL, the PCB will include a clause to make it mandatory that franchises should pick at least one emerging player from the region it represents,” he said.

Sethi hoped that PSL franchises would support this idea.

The chairman added that he’s aiming to bring all PSL matches to Pakistan in the next two to three years and the board is working to achieve the same.

“We are renovating stadiums, we are getting security clearance to have matches in Pakistan, we are on the right path,” he said.

“Maybe by the 4th edition, you’ll see half of the matches coming to Pakistan and then all the games will come to Pakistan,” Sethi added.

Sethi confirmed that the schedule for the upcoming edition of PSL will be announced in a week or so as the PCB is in discussion with Dubai and Abu Dhabi authorities over the allocation of matches.

He also indicated that after a couple of years, two more teams will be added to PSL's line-up.

Replying to a question, Sethi revealed that few players who have agreed to tour Pakistan for PSL matches have expressed reluctance on visiting Karachi.

“We have prepared two lists of players. One is of the players who have agreed to visit both cities and another is of players who have agreed for Lahore only,” he said.

The chairman also confirmed that for the next edition of PSL, three matches will be in Pakistan, two in Lahore and the final in Karachi.