Kamal Ghorui
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi said the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is moving towards becoming the top franchise league in the world, even as it runs at the same time as the Indian Premier League in 2026.The PSL this season is being held behind closed doors at two venues due to a fuel crisis in Pakistan. In contrast, the IPL is being played across multiple venues with spectators in attendance.Speaking during a meeting of the PCB Board of Governors, Naqvi said the PSL has become a key platform for investment and is on track to grow further.“The PSL has now become the best market for investment,” Naqvi said. “The time is not far when the PSL will become the world’s number one league,” he added.The Board of Governors also noted the franchise auction for PSL 2026, which it said received a strong response. Naqvi said investor interest reflects confidence in Pakistan cricket’s future.At the same time, there is a gap between PSL and IPL in financial terms. The IPL’s media rights are valued at over $6 billion, while PSL’s are around $93 million. IPL’s annual revenue is over $1 billion, compared to PSL’s estimated $50-60 million.The PSL 2026 season has also seen off-field issues. Lahore Qalandars were penalised five runs in a match over a ball-tampering incident. Fakhar Zaman was later found guilty and banned for two matches.In another case, Shaheen Afridi and Sikandar Raza were accused of bringing unauthorised visitors into a team hotel. Police termed it a breach, and Afridi was fined under the code of conduct.Naseem Shah was also fined PKR 20 million for a social media post that criticised politician Maryam Nawaz. He later said the post was made without his knowledge, but the PCB imposed the fine.
