Is the Champions Trophy 2025 road blocking the Pakistan Super League?
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has nowhere left to go. Their biggest event, the Pakistan Super League (PSL), is under threat, not from any other event but from a tournament that they are meant to host, the Champions Trophy 2025. The event is of high importance to the PCB, with it being the first ICC that is being hosted in Pakistan after 29 years.
In January 2025, the Pakistan cricket team will conclude their tour of South Africa and then head to New Zealand for a limited-overs tour. Then, in February, they’ll play a triangular ODI series involving New Zealand and South Africa. Once that ends, the Champions Trophy 2025 will commence.
Instead of changing the schedule, the PCB is aiming to host the PSL 2025 season after the Champions Trophy 2025 concludes. This means that their biggest earner will go against the world’s biggest league, the IPL. However, the PSL franchises aren’t too pleased with the decision.
Over the past few seasons, many foreign players have decided to skip the PSL, and the franchises are fearing that even more players will pull out of the event if it looks to challenge the IPL. They fear that it’ll affect the viewership worldwide and compromise the overall quality of the league.