Pakistan Super League (PSL) is a professional Twenty20 cricket league played between six teams representing six cities in Pakistan between February and March. The league was founded on 9 September 2015 by the Pakistan Cricket Board with five teams. Rather than operating as an association of independently owned teams, the league is a single entity with each franchise owned and controlled by investors. Pakistan Super League History.
Each team plays group stage matches in a double round robin format. The top four teams with the most points advance to the finals and qualify for the playoffs. The league is based at the Pakistan Cricket Board office in Lahore.
There have been seven seasons of PSL. Islamabad United became the most successful team in PSL by winning 2 titles. The current champions are Lahore Qalandars who won the 2022 season.
Establishment
In September 2015, Pakistan Cricket Board officially announced the launch of PSL. Former Pakistan national team captains Wasim Akram and Rameez Raja have signed up to promote the PSL and become the league’s brand ambassadors for three years.
After years of planning and two previous failed attempts, the league was officially launched on 4 February 2016 in the United Arab Emirates where Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, daughter of former Pakistani President Asif Zardari, along with Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan inaugurated the inaugural ceremony.
Pakistan Super League
The first two seasons featured five teams based on provincial capitals and the federal capital of Pakistan. In its first season, the PSL had a high number of international players. The league uses a draft system to recruit players similar to that used in many North American professional sports leagues and unlike the auction system used in some other T20 leagues.
The event was attend by current and retired cricketers as well as Pakistani celebrities. The commercial rights of the initial franchises sold in December 2015 for US$93 million for a period of 10 years. According to Arif Habib, the market value of PSL was up to US$300 million in 2017 and has increased significantly.
Profit
In May 2016, the PCB announced that the PSL’s inaugural season had generated a profit of US$2.6 million. In the 2022 edition, which held entirely in Pakistan, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja report a 71 percent increase in PSL profits. Each franchise earned ₨900 million (US$3.9 million) in revenue before the season began.
Format
The PSL is play in a double round robin format. Each team plays the other twice and the top four advance to the playoffs.
In the league, two points are award for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. In case the scores are level after both teams have faced their quota of overs, a super over is used to determine the winner of the match. Teams are rank in the group stage based on the following criteria.
i Higher Number of Point
ii If equal, better run rate
iii If equal, the highest number of wins
iv If equal, the fewest losses
v If still equal, head-to-head results meeting
The team that comes in the highest position in the league at the end of the regular season is deemed to be the winner of the match.
Pakistan Cricket Board
According to a PCB press release, around 20 parties expressed interest in buying franchises for the league ahead of the first season. On 18 October 2015, the Pakistan Cricket Board began accepting tenders for franchises with a bid deadline of 15 November.
According to a PCB statement, the winning bidders will be give the franchise rights for a period of ten years. Interested parties included ARY Group, Umar Associates, Arif Habib Group, Haier, and Mobilink as well as international groups including Leonian Global Sports and Qatar Lubricants Company (QALCO).
PSL Franchises
After seven bidders submitt formal proposals, all five franchises for the league’s first season sold on 3 December 2015, for a total price of US$93 million.
In April 2017, the PCB invited bids for the sixth team and the deadline for submission of both financial and technical proposals was 30 May around 40 national and international parties showed interest in buying the sixth franchise. Pakistan Super League History.
On 1 June 2017, Multan bought by Shon Properties from the five regions short list by the PCB for US$5.2 million per annum and became the most expensive PSL team. However, on 12 November 2018, PCB terminated his rights due to payment issues. The PCB invited bids and on 20 December 2018 resold the “sixth team” to the Ali Tareen consortium after a successful bid of US$6.35 million for 7 years. Pakistan Super League is the most famous league in Pakistan. For more details click here