The Pakistan Super League management, in a bid to minimise direct airtime clash with the Indian Premier League, has scheduled its matches one hour after the IPL matches commence. Salman Naseer, the PSL CEO, said in a podcast that PSL matches will begin at 8:00 pm, one hour after the IPL games commence at 7 PST.
The PSL will begin in Rawalpindi on Friday, April 11. This is the first time since the two leagues were launched that they are clashing in the same window. Naseer said they had no option but to schedule the PSL in the April-May window because of the packed calendar earlier this year.
“It is not an ideal situation but we are confident that the PSL has its own fan base and will attract the usual eyeballs,” Naseer said.
“The PSL has always produced quality competitive cricket and this year also we should see the same and cricket fans anywhere, at the end of the day, just want to see competitive, entertaining matches,” he said.
He said that since the PSL was in its 10th year, a number of new things have been added to make the broadcast quality top-notch. Naseer added that one advantage of having the PSL in the same window as the IPL was that the franchises had been able to sign some reputed overseas stars, who went unsold in the IPL auction.
