PSL: Cricketers unwilling to travel to Pakistan will be left out of the next draft

Reports suggest that Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise owners have reached the decision that if any cricketer opts out of the Pakistan leg of PSL, then they will not be included in the draft of the next edition. While the first season of PSL was played entirely in the United Arab Emirates, the final of the second seasons was hosted at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore amidst tight security.

Although a handful of players like Marlon Samuels, Darren Sammy, Chris Jordan, David Malan and Morne van Wyk took the trip to Pakistan, many big names like Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright, Nathan McCullum and Rilee Rossouw opted out of it. The same happened in the third season as well. In 2018, three matches were played in Pakistan and once again, players like Shane Watson, KP, Ben Laughlin and some more withdrew their names for security reasons.

This irregular availability of big, foreign players was a cause of trouble for the franchises. So to deal with the situation, they have arrived at the decision to skip the players who are not willing to play in their homeland. Moreover, it was also said that the foreign players will not receive extra money for flying to Pakistan.

PSL owners have decided that players who are not willing to travel to Pakistan will not be included in the draft and those players who are willing to play in Pakistan will not be given additional payments #Cricket

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) May 5, 2018

Even though this sounds like a financial decision, it is true that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been trying to get other international teams to play in their country in exchange for generous fees.

Recently, the Caribbean players were offered big pay cheques to participate in the Pakistan tour. There is a rumour that New Zealand will visit Pakistan sometime in this year for a series. It would be their first trip to the country since 2003. But their neighbours Australia have shown no interest so far and said that they were not ready for it.

Reports say Pakistan Cricket Board officials have asked both New Zealand and Australia to play T20 matches in Pakistan later this year to help bring international cricket back to the country #Cricket

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) May 1, 2018

A rumour about Pakistan hosting the opening ceremony of next year’s PSL is also in the air.

Reports state that the Pakistan Cricket Board may hold the opening ceremony of the next edition of the Pakistan Super League in Pakistan #Cricket

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) May 5, 2018

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