Daily Times

Enamoured by the massive profits raked in by American sports leagues, it was Delhi-born entrepreneur Lalit Modi who first saw the enormous potential for an English-football style cricket league for the subcontinent. After years of untiring hard work, Modi’s brainchild came to be known as the razzmatazz of the Indian Premier League; a lethal concoction of cricket, Bollywood and the big money interests. Launched as a retaliation to the rebel Indian Cricket League(ICL), the IPL was an instant hit.

With four hour long matches, packed stadiums, cheerleaders and a chance to mingle with celebrities, it was more than just watching a cricket game. Who can forget the first edition of the IPL with Shoaib Akhtar being bear-hugged by Shahrukh Khan after steaming in for a blistering spell of 4/11 against the Delhi Daredevils, Shahid Afridi’s verbal spat with Shane Warne and Sohail Tanvir awkwardly ambling in for the Rajasthan Royals?

Mumbai attacks happened, and that was that as far as the fortunes of the Pakistani players in the IPL were concerned. With players being regularly auctioned for crores of rupees, one can only imagine the price tag Shadab Khan’s googlies and Fakhar Zaman’s square cut would have earned.

For almost a decade, Pakistan’s T20 specialists eyed the IPL wistfully. They would get an occasional stint in the Big Bash League in Australia or the Caribbean Premier League, but with no cricket at home, the situation was bleak. Fast forward to executive turned cricket administrator Zaka Ashraf and we had the first of the many failed attempts to launch Pakistan’s own lucrative T20 tournament. Logos were unveiled, ribbons were cut and applause showered, but for what seemed like an eternity for Pakistan cricket it all amounted to nothing. With Pakistan’s stadiums closed to foreign teams, the staging of a tournament abroad seemed unexciting and somewhat impossible.

Having experienced pressure situations against able opponents, the domestic players are much more polished when they regularly compete in the international arena

Enter Najam Sethi. Who would have thought that it would take the tact and streamlined thinking of a journalist to pull off the biggest coup for Pakistan cricket since the 1992 World Cup triumph? Bit by bit, it all came together. Newer logos were unveiled, sponsors signed on, big-name businesses made bids for the teams and venues were picked. Pakistan stood still in anticipation, on the verge of something potentially game-changing.

Three years later, the PSL is an established product in the T20 tournament circuit and a household name in Pakistan. With Schon-group owned Multan Sultans joining the fray, this year’s iteration promises to be jam-packed with nail-biting finishes alongside good quality cricket. Three years on, Pakistan cricket is already reaping the benefits sowed by the PSL.

Firstly and most importantly is the financial aspect. Ever since the attack on the Sri Lankan team and consequently being stripped of the hosting rights of the 2011 World Cup, the PCB’s finances have been in disarray. Forced to play in rented and what is worse, empty grounds made matters worse. The PSL was a much-needed injection of cash into the PCB’s revenue stream with sponsors, airtime rights and ticket sales adding to the tally.

With three games scheduled to be held in Pakistan this year, the latter promises to skyrocket, especially for the Karachi game. Not only is the PSL a boon for the board but also for the players. Pakistani players are amongst those who receive the lowest remuneration in world cricket. The PSL is a welcome source of income for these players, especially whose international careers are over.

Second is the cricketing aspect; the exposure that our players get by interacting and playing with big-name foreign players such as Brendon McCullum, Chris Lynn and Kevin Pietersen. On the back of mingling with these players, our youngsters are ready as ever for the international scene once they break on to it.

Having experienced pressure situations against quality oppositions, these players are much more polished. This is evidenced by the youthful perspicacity of Shadab, a precocious character when it comes to the cricket field. Not only does the league develop and nurture talent, but it also propels that talent into the spotlight. Every year, the PSL has given at least two or three readymade products eager to be selected for the national side.

These include Shadab, Sharjeel, Fakhar Zaman and Hasan Ali amongst others. Slowly but steadily, the PSL is changing the culture of cricket in Pakistan.

Youthful exuberance and aggression have been given preference over archaic methods. This is evidenced by recent selection decisions. Overall, the batting is now more attacking, and bowling smarter. All of these signs are a breath of fresh air and welcome signs for a side that is forced to play in the torrid heat on borrowed stadiums that are not cost-effective.

As the third edition of the PSL approaches, Pakistan sits pretty on top of the T20 rankings and as defending champions of the Champions Trophy. Not all of this is owed to the PSL, but much is. One cannot help but wonder that if this is what two iterations of the tournament gave us, where will be after ten. We can only hope that bigger and better things await.

The writer is a student of Public Policy at the Wagner School, New York University. His interests include cricket, South Asian politics and political Islam

Published in Daily Times, February 13^th 2018.