Women's PSL also on my mind, says PCB chairman Ramiz Raja

Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja is hopeful of starting a women’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the near future. In a video posted by the PCB, the former skipper spoke on several topics ranging from Pakistan’s performance at the ongoing T20 World Cup to the recent announcement of home series against Australia and England. “Women’s PSL is also on my mind. Hopefully we can become the first cricket board in Asia to launch it (a women’s T20 franchise league),” Ramiz said. PSL is Pakistan’s professional franchise-based T20 league contested by six teams from six cities in the country. Currently, Australia organises the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), while England held the inaugural ‘The Hundred’ tournament for women alongside the men’s competition earlier this year. A full-fledged women’s Indian Premier League has been talked about a lot but nothing has materialised yet. Raja said the PCB also hopes to launch an Under-19 PSL as well, which will feature players from England, next year. “In October, hopefully we will launch something like a PSL for Under-19 level. We are very excited because this has not happened anywhere in the world,” Raja said. “England will send their Under-19 players, we will look after them. We will create a new property,” he added. He also promised to host a full home season in Pakistan, which has not been possible as teams have been reluctant to travel to the country since the 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus. “Going ahead I will give you a home season.” Raja’s comments came after an eventful week for the PCB. Australia, who last toured Pakistan in 1998, confirmed they will play a full series in the country for the first time in 24 years, next year. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) CEO Tom Harrison then flew down to Pakistan to meet Raja and added two additional T20 Internationals to the five originally planned when England tour the country next year.