We want more PSL matches to be staged in Pakistan in 2020: Ehsan Mani

Despite continued efforts from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), international teams have denied touring the country over the years. Like their international assignments, PCB has been forced to stage the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The playoffs were played in the Pakistan in the last couple of years but a lot of overseas players didn’t travel citing security reasons. However, the new PCB chairman Ehsan Mani is targeting to host more matches in the country in 2020.

The preparations for the upcoming season have already started with the fourth edition set to get underway on February 14. The players draft process for the same will take place on November 20 in Islamabad as the six teams will look to rebuild their respective teams. Meanwhile, even in the 2019 season only three matches – eliminator, second qualifier and the final – will be played in Pakistan and the top players continue not to travel to the country.

There is no problem

The ex-Chairman of the PCB Najam Sethi was keen on bringing the game back to Pakistan but his efforts didn’t reap much rewards. Despite hosting the World XI for a three-match T20I series last year with ICC granting the contest international status, the likes of Australia and New Zealand stayed put to their decision of playing in the UAE itself. The fans in Pakistan are devoid of genuine international contest since 2009 when Sri Lanka team bus was attacked by the terrorists.

However, Ehsan Mani is hoping for the things to get better as he wants more matches of the PSL to take place in the home country in 2020 and feels that the overseas players will get confident only after they will play more matches. “Next time we want to increase the number of PSL matches in Pakistan. As more overseas players play here, the more confident they get that there is no problem in playing in Pakistan,” he was quoted as saying by Pak Passion.

The upcoming PSL edition will see the players like Steve Smith and AB de Villiers plying their trades for the first time in its history.

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