বাংলাThe Pakistan Super League (PSL) could be moved to January-February next year to avoid a scheduling clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and owners of the eight PSL franchises have discussed the proposal.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the proposal was raised at a PSL Governing Council meeting in London on September 1. Walee Technologies, the league’s broadcast and digital rights holder, suggested holding the tournament in January.
The proposal is partly driven by commercial concerns. When the PSL is held in April-May, many companies have already spent a significant portion of their marketing and television advertising budgets. The presence of the IPL during the same period can also make it harder for the PSL to generate its expected advertising revenue.
However, franchises have concerns about the proposed PSL schedule change. They want assurances that their share of broadcast revenue will remain fully protected if the tournament dates are changed. Under the current agreement, the eight franchises receive 95 percent of broadcast income from the central revenue pool.
The PSL was generally played in February-March from 2016 to 2024. The tournament moved to April-May in 2025 and 2026 because of the Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup.
A PSL schedule change to January-February would help avoid a direct clash with the IPL. However, the PSL would then compete with Australia’s Big Bash League and South Africa’s SA20 for the availability of overseas players.
Weather is another major concern. Punjab province experiences severe winter conditions and dense fog in January and February. Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi, three PSL venues, are all located in Punjab.
One proposal is to start the tournament in Karachi in Sindh before moving through Punjab and eventually to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The final PSL schedule change decision is expected to depend on weather, broadcasting revenue and the availability of international players.
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