The Pakistan Super League (PSL) seventh edition is nearing the end of the first stage, with three teams already qualified for the playoffs and one of Islamabad United or Quetta Gladiators completing the last-four lineup.
The competition is becoming the first in the post-Covid-19 era to be completed without interruption, thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which was able to build a considerably tighter bio-secure bubble than the one in 2021, which resulted in the event being disrupted after 14 matches.
Despite several noteworthy performances on the field, the cricketing community is concerned about the absence of international great players from the tournament.
Lack of hype
Since new chairman Ramiz Raja took over as the country’s cricket governing body from Ehsan Mani, the PCB has been undergoing a massive overhaul.
Some high-profile appointees of the previous administration, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wasim Khan, left as soon as he arrived, creating a large vacancy to fill in a short period of time.
The PCB has taken pride in making the PSL a strong brand throughout the years, and they should. A decade ago, this would not have been considered a viable idea, but it is today a worldwide event.
However, the new management, led by Ramiz, was unable to generate the same level of excitement as in previous years.
The song, which had been a part of the buildup for the mega-event for years, was published just two days before the competition, demonstrating the management’s lack of foresight.
Despite being allowed to host only 25% of the crowd in Karachi during the early phase of the competition, management’s failure to ensure fan involvement in the first few matches was one of the key reasons why the venue was not filled to full. However, after time, it improved, and in subsequent matches, the venue was able to accommodate all of the legal capacity. Despite the difficult weather circumstances, there were signs of additional marketing as soon as the tournament relocated to Lahore. Most of the matches drew a large crowd as a result of their efforts.
