Just like all the Pakistani’s I am also waiting for our own T20 league since that trend has started. PSL has provided us great entertainment and it also provides chance to young talent to thrive and showcase their talent at an international stage where they are competing head & shoulders to senior and seasoned professionals of Pakistan cricket.
After successful first two editions of Pakistan Super League 2018 we are just days away from opening ceremony of third edition of PSL; as compared to first two editions this year’s Pakistan Super League is looking more of a showpiece event where cricket seems to be secondary thing.
May be many of the PSL fans did not agree with my views but almost all of the franchises are busy in building their brands and promote their business. Media gathering with celebrities and launching of different range products is taking this league more into glamour world where it is only used for money making and enhancing of cricketing talent or skills of the youngsters who are coming for interior areas of the country is not just started as yet.
As we have seen in the past too many scandals have damaged image of Pakistan cricket and every time Pakistan cricket seems to stabilize a bit they get hit by some controversies. Less educated and simple lads hailing from small town can be an easy target for fixing mafia who are always looking to make entry from the smallest of gaps available to them.
In past we have seen scandals of pace trio of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Aqib Javed with Mushtaq Ahmed getting caught in marijuana scandal during 1993 tour of the Caribbean was the first black spot after winning World Cup glory in 1992.
Mohammad Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq getting mugged in South Africa in early parts of their career in 1997 in early hours still have some untold stories behind.
Likes of Shahid Afridi, Atiq Uz Zaman and Hassan Raza in 2000 got fined by PCB as they were found with girls in their hotel room in Karachi.
Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir involvement in spot fixing scandal in England during 2010 tour have not just damage the image of Pakistan cricket but also made Pakistan loose three of their best available talents at that time.
Spot fixing scandal in 2nd edition of PSL jolted the leagues integrity and also ends the career of talented batsman like Khalid Latif and Sharjeel Khan who got trapped by book makers.
With Pakistan Super League 2018 scheduled to get started from Feb 22, 2018 we haven’t seen any of the franchises started camp of physical fitness and skill enhancement of these young guys who will try to caught the selector eye during this edition of PSL.
