Shahid Afridi asks PCB to try inviting Indian players to play in PSL
Shahid Afridi has stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board can try getting Indian players to play in the 2019 PSL, knowing that there is a high chance of that not happening. He also stated that only those foreign players, who agree to play in Pakistan, should be invited to play in the league.
The Pakistan Super League, albeit slowly, has started to attract the attention of many fans all across the globe due to the high quality of cricket this year. Most of the matches went down to the wire and when the event finally reached Pakistan for the final phase of the championship, fans welcomed the event with open arms. But, the unavailability of some star foreign players meant that the tournament lost some of its sheens and in the wake of it, Afridi has stated that the Indian players can also be invited for the tournament.
“But we should at least try to invite them for the PSL. I know it is difficult that they will come as they only play in the Indian Premier League. But we should invite them to the next edition of the PSL,” Afridi was quoted as saying by the BCCI.
While many big players decided to pull themselves out of the final of the last edition of the PSL due to the security reasons, the number of players decided to participate in this year’s event actually increased fairly. And while stating that it is a positive step for Pakistan cricket, he asked PCB not to allow those players who don’t want to come to play in Pakistan, when required.
“It is a very big step forward but I also believe that in future only those foreign players should be invited for the PSL who agree to also come and play in Pakistan when required,” he added.
After the militant attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March 2009, no top Test teams have toured the country which led to Pakistan getting isolated as an international cricketing platform. Consequently, they were forced to play all its bilateral home series in the UAE or other neutral venues, which they now want to do away with.
Since the last one year, the PCB has been making serious efforts to bring international players and events to Pakistan with two of the PSL playoffs being held in Lahore successfully on last Tuesday and Wednesday. The final has been scheduled to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi on Sunday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board also organized the PSL final in Lahore followed by a visit by the World Eleven side there for a three-match T20 series last year. The Sri Lankan Cricket team has also played a T20 game in Lahore in 2017.