Pakistan's PSL to clash with IPL next year

The Pakistan Cricket Board is looking to take advantage of the window set aside for the Indian Premier League each year to hold the Pakistan Super League in the same time-frame as very little international cricketing activity takes place during that period.

PCB said on Friday that it had held a meeting with PSL franchises where the advantages of holding the PSL in 2025 and 2026 in the April-May window were discussed in detail.

A source aware of the developments said that it was largely felt that very little international cricket takes place in the April-May window and all the best players in the world would be available for the leagues.

"The opinion was that if the PSL is held in the April-May window, even the PSL would have access to some of the best players in the world, including those who are not picked up by the IPL franchises," the source said.

The PCB said in a press release that it had told the franchise owners that they could sign up marquee players and the board would help them in every possible way, including financially.

The source added that apart from the marquee-player option, the franchises could also sign up a player directly, and their picks in the platinum category will be reduced by one in the PSL draft.

Both steps are aimed at ensuring some of the best players are available for the PSL season.

"The general feeling is that with the cricket calendar packed to the brim in 2025 and 2026 and onwards and with so many leagues being held between October and February, the window used by IPL would be best suited for the PSL even though the two leagues would clash for a period of time," the source said.

"The advantage is that the PSL ends in a month's time while the IPL continues for two-and-a-half months."

The source also said that during Friday's meeting, the PCB had informed the franchise owners that from 2026 onwards, two more teams would be added to the PSL, raising the number to eight.

PSL, which was launched in 2016 in Dubai, is generally held between February and March.

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