Pakistan Super League - PSL 2017 final in Lahore

PSL 2017 to be played in Lahore, Pakistan:

Pakistan Cricket Board is planning to host T20 tournament Pakistan Super League 2017 final on home soil in Gaddafi stadium Lahore. In past Najam Sethi was interested in hosting early matches of next edition of PSL in Pakistan but now he has an idea of shifting final of PSL T20 to Pakistan while early matches of PSL T20 would be staged in UAE.

PCB Offer More Money to Overseas Players:

To convince foreign players to play final in Pakistan, PCB is willing to offer more money to overseas players. PSL chairman Najam Sethi said that PCB can offer $20,000 to foreign players for just 1 final match in Pakistan. Foreign players would be provided better accommodation at National Cricket Academy at Lahore. 14 new rooms with top class facilities are already built at NCA as being part of the plan with top level security. NCA is located adjacent to stadium where final would be played and it would be much safer for players to go cricket ground.

PSL T20, 2017 final in Pakistan

Assurance from Foreign Players to play in Pakistan:

In Sethi's previous media release, he mentioned that some overseas players already had agreed to play final of PSL T20 in Pakistan. Such assurance from foreign players will encourage others too. However, he never disclosed the names of overseas players who agreed to play in Pakistan. Najam Sethi promised that final in Lahore will be much bigger than the one in UAE in last edition of PSL T20. Number of franchises would be kept same as before, only 5 teams will participate in PSL T20 2017. Andre Russel become the first foreign player who has expressed his willingness to play PSL 2017 in Pakistan. Andre Russel is one of the high profile T20 player, his willingness to play in Pakistan will clear path for other overseas players. Shane Watson from Australia and Darren Sammy from West Indies have also shown interest in playing in Pakistan subject to security clearance.

Fool Proof Security to Players:

In March 2009, militants attack tourist (Sri Lanka) bus while they were on their way to stadium to play cricket match against Pakistan. Since that incident, Kenya is the only country that toured Pakistan in 2015. Residing overseas player at NCA and purchasing bullet proof buses will assure such horrifying incident doesn't occur again. Pakistan Cricket Board has bought 4 bullet proof Coaster Buses that would play a vital role in providing extra security to players. 

PSL T20 super stars

Apart from overseas players in first edition of PSL T20, Brendon McCullum, Eoin Morgan, Lasith Malinga and Albie Morkel have decided to be included in upcoming PSL T20 player draft. Inclusion of high profile will increase competitiveness of PSL T20 tournament. PSL T20 is the biggest gift to Pakistan cricket and fans. T20 tournament has brought in a lot of changes in national cricket and players are more serious about their game as compare to a year before.

Accommodation For Foreign Players:

Providing accommodation to overseas players at NCA, adjacent to Gaddafi stadium with top class facilities and higher security and buying bullet proof Coaster buses is a positive move by PCB. These steps includes high cost but PCB is willing to go extra miles in order to revive international cricket in Pakistan once again. Main purpose of PSL T20 was to provide entertainment and bring international cricket back to Pakistan and it is doing its job pretty good so far.

Najam Sethi is confident that PSL 2 would be a much bigger success than PSL 1 and would generate more revenue. After adding bigger names to second edition of PSL T20, more sponsors would be interested in linking their names to the tournament. More sponsors means more revenue and it would be invested towards further development of the T20 league PSL. Success of Pakistan Super League T20 has fueled a cash influx and attracted a lot of fans.

PSL 2017 Updates (23-08-2016):
"All systems being put in place," Sethi told ESPNcricinfo. "We are in the process of signing up top foreign players who are ready to play in Lahore if their team gets into the final. All we need are ten top foreign players. If there are some foreign players among the finalists who are not prepared to play in Lahore, we will have an arrangement with others who don't make it to the finals, and facilitate the finalist franchisees to select from that pool of players who are available to play in Lahore." -- content sourced from ESPNcricinfo.com

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