Islamabad – Pakistan Super League (PSL) seems to be gaining immense popularity due to a number of high-profile foreigners opting to play in the league instead of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This is preferred because of the improvement in security guarantees and field time.
English cricketer David Willey drew attention to the issue in a recent interview with the Indian media, saying that he perceives the security arrangements in the PSL to be better than those in the IPL.
“It is not known how the IPL auction will be, but there is more security and assurance of playing in PSL for players,” Willey remarked.
He clarified that some players may be willing to take the financial potential of the IPL, but then there are those players who are interested in playing time. A lot of global stars believe that they have a better chance of playing a meaningful role in the PSL, as opposed to spending 10 or 11 weeks on the bench in the dugout during IPL.
The sentiments can be substantiated by the fact that other star cricketers have recently withdrawn from the IPL to go and play in the PSL, such as South Africa’s Faf du Plessis and England’s Moeen Ali. Moreover, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has also revealed that he has decided to withdraw from the IPL.
These decisions represent a positive trend toward a situation in which the PSL is increasingly appealing to international players due to its ability to provide them with a rigorous match fitness base and strong safety guarantees.
