PSL franchises should not face any losses: Najam Sethi

The former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi, while talking to Cricket Pakistan, claimed that the franchises in the Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Pakistan Super League (PSL) should not face losses.

The former chairman stated that the franchise owners read their contracts and were aware of the regulations involved.

“All owners are businessmen. They read all contracts before signing on. They asked us what they would need to invest and what would the profits be. We did not have any issues with franchises during our tenure. Now I think the issue is that the dollar is stronger while the rupee is lower. This has put a big burden on the franchises. I think there have been some deficiencies from the PCB that has created these problems. They could have solved these problems before. I think the franchises should not face any losses. I think in one or two years all the problems will be solved when crowds fill the stadiums,” Sethi said.

The 72-year-old revealed that they faced several problems while getting the HBL PSL started.

“The PSL has grown quite a lot. When we started we faced many problems. We were told that this has been tried several time, this cannot be done. Don’t try it. I was also told that there would be great losses. We were told that hosting it in Dubai won’t be beneficial. The PCB told me that we cannot afford such a big endeavour. There were some in the board who said this should be done. In Dubai we also faced problems. We were given a slot and when we went there we were told that a slot isn’t available. It took a long time to settle all these matters. It seemed like nobody wanted this to happen,” he said.

The former chairman claimed that he would never have allowed the current anthem because it does not cater to all parts of the society.

“Look, the epidemic has created many problems. Like last year when they had to postpone the final part of the PSL 5. I think they should have concluded it right away. It was a problem that should have been resolved right away. We made this an international brand. I am very happy that the event has returned to Pakistan. I give them credit that they have worked hard. The production however has left much to be desired. For example the anthem this year catered to a very niche base. An anthem is supposed to be for everyone. I think I would not have approved an anthem like this,” he said.

“I would only praise the efforts of the PCB. I don’t want to create conflicts. It is Imran Khan’s team and I hope they are successful. I want to wish luck to the PCB, the players and everyone else involved,” he concluded.