Reports: Proposal presented to start PSL 2022 on January 25

A proposal has been put forth by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to start the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on January 25. If sources are to be believed in Cricket Pakistan website, then the original idea was to begin PSL in the first week of January in 2022, but a potential clash with the Emirates Cricket League is the main reason why PSL is not going as per the original schedule.

The PCB CEO and acting chairman Wasim Khan headed a virtual meeting wherein the franchise owners were updated about the latest developments of the seventh edition of PSL. This potential delay at the beginning of the new PSL season could be a blessing in disguise for the foreign players participating in the Big Bash League (BBL), as the tournament will be played from December 15 to January 28.

The players participating in BBL could now play the most matches of PSL. As per the original schedule, the first 17 matches were set to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi while the remaining matches were set to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The tournament was set to conclude on February 14. The new schedule could see the final of PSL being played on February 24. Coincidentally, all the previous seasons of PSL have been staged in the February-March window owing to a relatively free window in Pakistan during that time.

Holding PSL in April-May is not possible due to IPL

Apart from the slot available in January- February, the PSL cannot possibly be conducted in another window due to the Indian Premier League (IPL) being staged every time in April-May. If PSL is pushed during the IPL, then its revenue, broadcasting deals, and sponsorships could be adversely affected. Although there is no official confirmation as to when PSL will start, January 2022 seems the likely option to lock-in.

The franchise owners now want to seek a quick approval for the new financial model from CEO Wasim Khan, who has requested a time of one and a half months before arriving at the conclusion. The owners are so keen to meet the expected future chairman of PCB Ramiz Raja.