The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering the possibility of postponing its scheduled home series against West Indies, originally planned for February and March in 2024, in order to avoid a clash with the next edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Additionally, the PCB has made a formal request to the Emirates Cricket Board to adjust the dates of the ILT20 league by ten days to prevent any overlap.
According to the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), Pakistan is set to host West Indies for a series comprising two Tests and three T20Is early in the coming year. However, this time frame has traditionally been reserved for conducting the PSL, a tournament that has been held during this period since 2016. During a recent PSL governing council meeting, it was unanimously agreed that the PCB could consider “sacrificing” the home series in favor of the PSL. Consequently, the PCB is now engaging with various stakeholders to secure a clear window for the upcoming PSL.
One potential challenge the PCB faces if they reschedule the West Indies series after Ramzan (which typically falls after the second week of April) is the potential unavailability of several West Indies players due to the Indian Premier League (IPL) scheduled for April and May. While the PCB has not yet provided details on the rescheduling of the series, there have been discussions about the possibility of conducting it during the month of Ramadan, which spans from March to April. However, scheduling Test matches during Ramadan presents significant challenges, particularly with players observing fasting. Notably, the PCB previously organized a limited-overs series against New Zealand during Ramadan earlier this year, with T20Is played at night and ODIs held post-Ramzan.
As for the PSL, the tournament currently spans 34 days. Due to the constraints imposed by Ramadan, the window for the PSL is limited from February 12 to March 10. With the ILT20 league scheduled to run from January 13 to February 12 in 2024, the PCB has officially requested the UAE board to grant a ten-day extension. Moreover, there is a possibility that the PCB may allow its players to sign contracts with the ILT20, a move that was floated as a compromise after the PCB initially denied No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to a group of Pakistan players for the inaugural edition of the league.
In addition to these considerations, the PCB is exploring the idea of introducing two additional franchises to the PSL, potentially extending the tournament window by ten days. To facilitate this expansion, the PCB’s PSL and finance departments are working on a proposal outlining the financial distribution model, scheduling changes, and commercial aspects. However, this expansion plan faces several challenges, including issues related to scheduling conflicts.
