Pakistan Cricket Board unlikely to add more teams in PSL till 2025

Pakistan Cricket Board. (Photo Source: Twitter/TherealPCBmedia)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unlikely to add more teams to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) till the tenth edition of the tournament. The franchise league currently has six teams, namely Multans Ultans, Karachi Kings, Islambad United, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladitators and Lahore Qalandars.

Earlier, former PCB chairman, Najam Sethi, proposed to include two new teams to the PSL. But he had stepped down from the role before it could be implemented. Moreover, the talks on adding new teams have come after several individuals are presented as potential new team owners in the tournament.

According to various sources, there is no possibility of adding news teams to the league. Zaka Ashraf, the PCB chairman, is hesitant to make any decision regarding the same. As per the central pool agreement, the PCB cannot add teams to the league for the first ten years.

Ashraf has not been able to meet with any franchise owners due to a hectic schedule. However, he intends to call a meeting of the governing council in the forthcoming days to examine the issues with franchise owners and find answers for the same.

As per sources, the current owners are opposed to adding more teams to the league. One of the team has said that they worked hard for all these years and planted a seed, which has now blossomed into a fruitful tree, and that new people want to reap the benefits. As it stands, while additional teams might be added to expand the league, the move seems unlikely in the near future, with PSL remaining a six-team event.

The eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League saw Lahore Qalandars defeat Multan Sultans by just one run in the summit clash to win the title for the second consecutive time. Notably, it was the Shaheen Afridi-led side’s second championship in the tournament.