Picture Credit: Twitter/@thePSLt20
If reports doing the rounds are to be believed, the players' draft of the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is expected to take place in December. A Geo News report claims that the draft could well be conducted in the second week of December 2021, with the officials already being told to start their preparations for the same.
The tentative dates of the same have also come out and it is being learned that the draft may happen between December 8 to 10. The seventh edition of Pakistan's franchise-based tournament will begin in the fourth week of January next year. The first stage of the tournament will be played in Karachi and the second has been slated to take place in Lahore.
PSL has often been credited with the improvement of the Pakistani cricketers at the international level, especially in T20Is. The most recent example was that of Asif Ali who became a national hero in the country after finishing matches for his team against New Zealand and Afghanistan and taking his team to the verge of semis which they eventually qualified.
While Asif had divided opinions among cricket fans and experts from his own country, PSL side Islamabad United backed him and the result was there for everyone to see at the highest level.
I have the Women's PSL in my mind: Ramiz Raja
Taking note of PSL's value addition to Pakistan cricket, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja said that the Pakistan Cricket Board will launch an U-19 PSL in October next year, with plans of the Women's PSL also developing as they hope to organise the first such women's tournament in Asia.
"We talked about (improving the) pathways to professional cricket. In October next year, we'll launch an U19 PSL. This is very exciting because it's never happened anywhere else. England will send their U19 players, who we'll look after. I also have the women's PSL in my mind. We'll become the first cricket board in Asia to launch that, " Raja said as quoted in an ESPNCricinfo report.