There were no Pakistani players in the inaugural International League T20 (ILT20), which was played from January 13 to February 12 of this year. PCB is contemplating permitting players this time, though.
In the first season of the league located in the UAE, elite players may earn an astounding USD 450,000. However, it’s possible that Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan each received up to USD $900,000. Additionally on the table were a three-year contract and the captaincy.
For the first season, many franchises also expressed interest in Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Hasnain in addition to the aforementioned three.
The PCB eventually declined to give Azam Khan a No-Objection Certificate, despite the fact that Desert Vipers had selected him for the competition.
They were all made aware that they could only play in the league when they were not involved in their respective national teams or the Pakistan Super League. In spite of this, the PCB forbade any of its athletes from competing.
The Emirates Cricket Board was asked to compensate Ramiz Raja, the PCB’s then-chairman, in addition to releasing the players for the league in exchange for cash.
Najam Sethi, the current chairman of the PCB, does not take a firm stance on the ILT20. During a meeting of the PSL governing council, he recently stated that it would be impossible to prohibit Pakistani players at this moment because they are also considering forming associations to protect their rights.
Sethi says that PCB and the UAE have solid ties and are skilled at negotiating with a “give and take” approach. In order to increase interest in the league and attract players from outside Pakistan, it was suggested that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) may start its 2019 season in Dubai.
The PSL franchise owners are against this suggestion. They claim that if Pakistani players were released and the ILT20 was strengthened, the PSL would suffer.