PSL 2018: Mushtaq Ahmed believes foreign players should be picked if they agree to visit Pakistan

The ongoing edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) was marred with the key foreign players denying to visit Pakistan citing personal reasons. Quetta Gladiators were affected the most with almost all of their overseas contingent didn’t travel to Pakistan and as a consequence, the team was crashed out of the tournament in the first eliminator. However, Mushtaq Ahmed feels that the overseas cricketers should only be picked in the team if they agree to travel Pakistan from next edition.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is trying hard to revive the international cricket and has successfully hosted World XI and Sri Lanka last year. Even this year, the PSL garnered a jam-packed crowd in Lahore for two matches and the final is expected to be sold out as well which will be played in Karachi. But barring some players, a lot of foreign players were afraid of coming to the country following the deadly attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009.

Mushtaq not happy with extra payment

Mushtaq Ahmed, the head coach of National Cricket Academy (NCA), was miffed at a lot of overseas cricketers not travelling to Pakistan despite regular security clearances. “PSL has become a brand now. Now, only players who agree to visit Pakistan should be drafted in the next edition,” he said while addressing the media on Wednesday. He also believed that the practice of paying the players extra for coming to the country should also be stopped.

“The practice of paying players extra to visit Pakistan should be ended too. Players should only be paid the amount promised in the contracts. Franchises paying players extra to come to Pakistan has set a wrong precedent. Spectators will still support the PSL even if foreign players opt out of visiting Pakistan,” Mushtaq added.

PSL should be held in Pakistan

Mushtaq Ahmed was of the opinion that the whole tournament should be arranged in Pakistan and also proposed an idea to attract international players for the same. “The whole tournament [PSL] has to take place in Pakistan eventually, so the administration should try to hold more matches in the country next year. Former cricketers should be brought in to talk to the players because their word is more important to the foreign players,” he concluded.

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