Wasim Akram ready to give up MCL contract for Pakistan

Sport360 staff 19:41 10/09/2015
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  • Wasim Akram (L) is one of the ambassadors for the new Pakistan Super League.

    Pakistan’s high-profile T20 league ambassadors Wasim Akram and Rameez Raja are confident that the product would compete with other top leagues around the world in two to three years time apart from the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    The two players were sharing the views officially for the first time at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, sitting along with PSL chief Najam Sethi and project head Salman Sarwar Butt.

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    “It’s important that things roll on for PSL from next year and I’m confident that it would compete with other big leagues around the world in three years, except the IPL because it’s staged at a different scale,” Wasim said.

    “Ideally, everyone would have wanted the competition to be played in Pakistan but it doesn’t matter even if we start at a neutral venue. Things will change in the future and then hopefully PSL would return to Pakistan as a bigger and better entity.”

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has played a masterstroke by roping in the two players who were supposed to appear in Masters Cricket League (MCL) – a competition for former players which emerged as a rival for PSL to be staged in UAE in February 2016.

    It forced PCB to look elsewhere and instead opt for Doha (Qatar) after left angered by Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) officials’ who did not pay any heed to PCB’s request of finding out a middle way for both PSL and MCL.

    The PSL will run in February 2016.

    When Wasim was asked what his future with MCL was, he replied: “I’m up for leaving anything for Pakistan cricket; because even its MCL contracted I don’t want to earn money by playing cricket but instead want to give something back to my nation. We signed with MCL and had to work for them but my priority is to help our country’s cause.”

    Meanwhile, Ramiz said that it is a big step forward and will help in producing top-class players.

    Ramiz, who is a renowned commentator right now after his playing days, urged the stakeholders of the Pakistan league to support the future of Pakistan cricket.

    “It’s a big way forward for Pakistan cricketers that PSL is about to start. The experience of sharing the dressing room, practice sessions and playing matches with superstars would be priceless for youngsters.  It’s a great beginning for Pakistan cricket and all stakeholders must support it because positive energy yields a positive outcome,” Ramiz said.

    He added that they have come to improve the image of Pakistan in front of foreigners and help PCB get the best possible players and ultimately help them to bring PSL back to Pakistan in future.

    The PSL has the potential to be one of the biggest league's in the world.

    The 53-year-old hoped that financial security would bring professionalism among players and the event would help Pakistan to get improved bench strength.

    After two failed attempts, it looks like that PCB will be finally able to pull up the project successfully under the leadership of Najam Sethi, who said that very soon the tenders would be floated for bidding of franchises, broadcasting and production rights.

    “We’ll be floating tenders very soon in the market while the PSL logo would be unveiled on September 20 in Lahore,” Sethi remarked.

    Asked whether the two players would work as ambassadors on an honorary basis or would get heavy incentives, Sethi replied: “There is no price for the two players. They have sacrificed for the national cause. The world is ready to give their hands and legs for them. Instead, we’ve insisted them to take an honorarium which is nothing compared to the services we’ll get from these two legends.”

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