KARACHI: Pakistan is rolling the dice on world superstars like Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen to spice up the country's cash-strapped cricket board once its new high-octane, short-form T20 league begins within the UAE next month.
But insiders warn Pakistan's initial franchise-based league might not be enough to beat revenue and time lost throughout the country's long exile from hosting international cricket.
Pakistan has been forced to play nearly all its home series at neutral venues since militants attacked the Sri Lanka team's bus in 2009, killing eight folks and injuring 9 others, as well as six road cricketers.
Views from India: Why it’s vital for the Pakistan Super League to succeed
After 2 aborted tries, the primary edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) are command next month at 2 venues — Dubai and Sharjah — within the United Arab Emirates, the team's home faraway from home.
“This was long due ,” former PCB chief executive officer Ramiz Raja aforesaid. “I suppose the unfold and therefore the pie are larger and therefore the PSL can provide hope and scope to Pakistan cricket besides serving to rising and middle-tier players.”
But insiders agree there's very little hope for the tournament to continue if it cannot eventually come home for bigger gate and television revenues.
With lower regular payment caps than leagues elsewhere, it'll conjointly got to steer beyond the present threat of fixing that has hit its precursor leagues in India and People's Republic of Bangladesh, leading to bans for the likes of international stars Shanthakumaran Sreesanth of India and Mohammed Ashraful of People's Republic of Bangladesh.
With Pakistan's young pace star Mohammed swayer creating his international comeback once 5 years within the geographical area for spot-fixing, the country will sick afford a repeat of the kind of difference that has destroyed it over the other team since the development emerged within the late Nineteen Nineties.
Lost time, lost revenue
The board estimates it's lost nearly $200 million in TV and ticketing revenue from 2009 so far, a amount that has conjointly coincided with a boycott by India — cricket's wealthiest nation, that guarantees huge paydays for opponents.
To set concerning rising its economic health, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) set it required to duplicate the success of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), however 2 earlier tries were aborted once a scarcity of support, in 2013 and 2014.
PSL chairman Najam Sethi was optimistic.
“Teams can U.S.e marketing and hopefully we'll build this product profitable which is able to facilitate us stand on our feet and that we won't got to take cash from anyone,” he aforesaid on a programme he hosts recently.
But compared to the IPL and Australia's huge Bash League (BBL), the PSL seems like a “poor man's league”.
The IPL earned $700 million from the sale of eight franchises and attracted a humongous $1.75 billion from the sale of TV rights over a 10-year amount.
By distinction, the PSL's 5 groups were sold-out for $93 million for a amount of a decade whereas TV rights and title support fetched around $20 million for 3 years.
While the groups — city, Islamabad, Quetta, Lahore and city — got a complete regular payment cap of $1.1 million every, the IPL regular payment cap rose to $52.8 million for all groups combined in 2011.
In 2014, India's tourney heroes Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh earned $2.4 million and $2.33 million.
But the highest 5 “icon players” within the PSL — Chris Gayle of the West Indies, England's maverick Kevin Pietersen, Australian expert Shane Watson, and Pakistan's all-around combine of Shoaib leader and Shahid Afridi — can earn $200,000.
With its relatively lower wage structure and smaller returns, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif fears PSL may be notably liable to fixing.
“Teams won't be able to recover expenses while not fixing,” Latif, World Health Organization as a player blew the whistle on fixing teammates, said. “If they do not use that, they're going to suffer Brobdingnagian losses.”
Gayle, arguably the tournament's most high-profile T20 star, recently broken his own standing once being concerned associate degree exceedingly|in a very} favouritism row following coquettish remarks created to an Australian communicator within the British capacity unit.
He remains a box-office pull but, and warm up for his PSL stint with a record-equalling fifty off simply twelve balls in his final British capacity unit innings on Mon night.
Bringing the sport home
On the monetary aspect, delivery the league to Pakistan soil as shortly as potential is essential to its lasting success, a management supply aforesaid.
“Everybody's hoping and sticking out that the league can return to Pakistan. If it does not are available in 2 to a few years then the viability becomes troublesome.
“It's alittle untested. you are taking part in twenty five to thirty matches in 2 venues. there's a limit you'll be able to draw. you do not get the league feel of home and away games till you bring it to Pakistan — that is after you will produce a real buzz.”
He more that the idea of marketing was new Pakistan, wherever rampant piracy remains a difficulty, and it might be troublesome to present the competition a real league feel faraway from home.
But some in Pakistan's businessmen square measure additional optimistic.
“Our cash box is empty and that we got to wheedle India [to participate], however i'm certain folks can support it and in my opinion within the next 3 to 5 years it'll build profits,” aforesaid Pakistani bourgeois Zafar Motiwala.
