PSL Final 2024 to move out of Karachi? Shocking update from PCB stirs a debate

The so-called world’s best T20 franchise league – Pakistan Super League is not experiencing a huge turnout and popularity among fans in knockouts, which is proving to be a major tension for PCB.

The issue, specifically, came into the fore after PSL 9’s qualifier 1 match between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi, saw only a handful of people present at the National stadium. Despite this, the knockout rounds are not going to be moved out from Karachi.

After hosting the 1st qualifier, the National Stadium in Karachi is in line to host the Eliminator between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators later today. Then the 2nd qualifier between Peshawar Zalmi and either Quetta or Islamabad is tomorrow and the finale is on March 18, Monday.

Logistical challenges – the real reason why Karachi to host all PSL 9 knockout games

According to a report from ESPNcricinfo, after they spoke to some PSL officials over in Pakistan, it was revealed that there is a major issue when it comes to moving the knockout matches outside of Karachi. And that reason is the logistical challenge that PCB will face in accommodating the final round somewhere else in the country.

The cost involved in shifting the entire tournament, that too for the final few matches, could prove to be a burden for the Pakistan Cricket Board. Not just the cost but since Qualifier 1, Eliminator, and Qualifier 2 matches are slated to take place on back-to-back 3 days (14,15, and 16), changing the venue could affect the commencement of matches.

Plus things cannot be done on such quick notice unless the board is BCCI who are just a few calls away from moving their tournament out of the country, in case such issues arise. We have seen in the past, the BCCI organized the IPL on foreign soil for more than 1 occasion.

The first time it happened was in 2009 during the Lok Sabha elections which fell at the time of IPL’s second edition which entirely took place in South Africa. Then in 2014, half of the IPL took place in UAE due to the Union Elections whereas in 2020, the tournament was moved to the same country due to the surge of COVID-19 in India.

But the PSL doesn’t have enough funding, does it? It is something (moving PSL out) that PCB can only dream of doing and their only venue outside of their land is the UAE.

PSL official sheds light on National Stadium in Karachi