Pakistan

Shocking U-turn: PCB’s Surprising Decision on Pakistani Players for ILT20 Season 2

by
Zainab Shafiq
May 18, 2023

Sensational Twist: PCB's Najam Sethi Considers Sending Players for ILT20 Season 2

Table of Contents

PCB’s Najam Sethi considers allowing Pakistani players for ILT20 Season 2 despite previous reservations.
Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan offered lucrative contracts for ILT20.
Gulf Giants claim victory in the inaugural ILT20 edition under Colin Munro’s leadership.

In a surprising turn of events, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), led by its current chairman Najam Sethi, seems to be open to the possibility of allowing Pakistani players to participate in the highly anticipated second season of the International League T20 (ILT20). This decision comes as a result of the strong cricketing ties between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the league is held.

Sensational Twist: PCB’s Najam Sethi Considers Sending Players for ILT20 Season 2

Reports suggest that Sethi holds no objections to sending Pakistani cricketers to ILT20, despite the league being regarded as one of the wealthiest cricket tournaments after the Indian Premier League (IPL). Notably, the ILT20 has attracted significant investment from India, making it an attractive opportunity for players.

Renowned Pakistani players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan have received lucrative offers, including a staggering USD 900,000 contract and the prospect of captaining a team for three years. However, during Ramiz Raja’s tenure as PCB chairman, there was a lack of interest in allowing players to participate in ILT20. Instead, Raja sought compensation from the Emirates Cricket Board as a condition for releasing Pakistani players.

Apart from the aforementioned players, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Hasnain were also highly sought-after by ILT20 teams. Furthermore, Azam Khan, a talented wicketkeeper-batsman, was picked by the Desert Vipers, but unfortunately, he did not receive the necessary No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to join the league.

The inaugural edition of ILT20 witnessed fierce competition between teams such as the Dubai Capitals, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, MI Emirates, Sharjah Warriors, Gulf Giants, and Desert Vipers. Ultimately, under the astute leadership of Colin Munro, the Gulf Giants emerged victorious by defeating the Desert Vipers in the final, thus claiming the coveted trophy on February 12 earlier this year.