LAHORE: Doha, the capital of Qatar, is all set to host inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 Tournament in February next year. With the hosting of the event, Qatar will move into the lucrative international Twenty20 cricket market. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced the five-team franchise-based Twenty20 league which will be played from February 4 to 24. The teams will be from the provincial capitals – Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad – with prize money of $1 million. PCB chairman executive committee Najam Aziz Sethi made the announcement in this regard during a crowded press conference at Gaddafi Stadium here on Wednesday. Sethi, who led a seven-member PCB delegation to Doha earlier in the week, claimed that the venue was ready to host top-level cricket and the cricket board would work closely with Qatar to ensure a world-class event. “The PCB is ready to deliver the first edition. The wait is now over and we are here to tell you of our intent to stage the PSL. The way we see it, the PSL is not just about cricket. It is a unique blend of entertainment and cricket which will be the most exciting Pakistani product,” he said. A total of 24 matches are scheduled to take place in the first edition. He said the PCB Governing Council decided to lock Doha as its preferred location for the tournament after lengthy deliberations. “We are starting with five teams in order to build the value of our franchises and we will expand the number of teams in the coming editions,” Sethi added. The PCB had initially planned to host the league in the UAE, Pakistan’s virtual home since 2009. However, when the PCB approached the Emirates Cricket Board to secure the venues during the third week of June, they learned that the organisers of the Masters Champions League – a tournament for retired international cricketers – had already booked the stadiums for the February window. The signing of players for the PSL is yet to be finalised but Sethi informed that the PCB had engaged with player agents and was hoping that “top players” from every Full Member country other than India would be part of the league. “Top foreign players from all Test-playing nations except India have expressed interest in signing up for the PSL. As of now, the PSL has consent from over 40 international players. In addition, top foreign coaches are also being roped in for the first edition of the PSL.” The latest plan for the league isn’t as high profile as the previous one during Zaka Ashraf’s regime under which the business model – unveiled in January 2013 – was expected to fetch the PCB ‘in excess of $100 million’. Sethi also shed light about the interest of potential commercial stakeholders in the league. “I can confirm that a number of parties are currently talking to us and are interested in picking up the franchises. Similarly, we have great interest being shown from broadcasters and sponsors,” he said. The event should prove popular among Qatar’s huge Asian community. There are around 90,000 people from Pakistan living in Qatar, a number which is expected to rise in the near future with the influx of more workers needed for the huge number of infrastructure projects taking place in the super rich Gulf state. In addition, there are large numbers of people from other strong Asian cricketing nations including more than half a million residents from India, 150,000 from Bangladesh and 100,000 from Sri Lanka. The PSL could attract spectators from nearby UAE. The tournament could also pave the way for Qatar to host Pakistan Test matches. Currently Pakistan play their Test matches outside the country because of security concerns. Pakistan will play Ashes winners England in a three-match Test series in the UAE in October and November. If the PSL is held in Doha, it will reinforce the Gulf state’s position as a major sporting hub. As well as the 2022 Football World Cup, Qatar is set to host the World Athletics Championships in 2019, and last year hosted the short-course World Swimming Championships. There is a strong likelihood Qatar will bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.