The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket Australia came together to address scheduling conflicts between the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the Big Bash League (BBL) yesterday.
According to Salman Naseer, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of PCB, an agreement has been reached to prevent clashes in the future, ensuring a harmonious coexistence of the two premier T20 leagues.
The collaboration between the two cricket boards extends beyond scheduling concerns, as both boards acknowledged the increasing number of cricket leagues globally. The two boards stated to commit to managing player availability more effectively. With players having multiple league options, the emphasis is on careful workload management and ensuring a balanced approach to player commitments.
PCB Chairman Management Committee Zaka Ashraf, Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer and League Commissioner Naila Bhatti's press conference at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. https://t.co/jNxlDeohlS
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 10, 2024
Expressing gratitude to Cricket Australia for fruitful interactions, Naseer stated, “We have reached a principle understanding with Cricket Australia about ensuring that there won’t be any clashes as far as BBL and PSL are concerned in the future.”
“We also talked about player availability keeping in mind that the players have a lot of options, in terms of leagues, and we need to be careful about their workload management. In the future, both the boards will assist each other with regards to a good pool of players for both PSL and BBL while also ensuring better handling of No Objection Certificates,” said Naseer.
The strategic alignment aims to improve overall quality and pool of players for both leagues, while creating a conducive environment for players.
The deal also includes more junior team tours to Australia
As part of this cooperative effort, the agreement also outlines increased interactions between junior teams of Pakistan and Australia in various formats. Frequent tours by Pakistan women’s, Shaheens, and U19 teams to Australia are on the agenda, fostering better acclimatization to diverse playing conditions.
The bilateral agreement signifies a positive step towards strengthening cricketing ties between the two nations.
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