Pakistan Super League hopes to expand to eight teams after PSL 10

The Pakistan Super League is hoping to expand from six to eight teams after the PSL 10, an official said on Thursday.

First staged in 2016 in the United Arab Emirates due to security concerns, the PSL is now hosted in Pakistan, where it aims to strengthen its commercial appeal and competitiveness.

The planned expansion comes at a key commercial juncture for the PSL, with media and sponsorship rights going up for sale.

The PSL 10 will also embrace new cities with Peshawar set to host its first exhibition game, a step toward full PSL matches.

The upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League will also embark on its first nationwide tour, bringing the event to non-host cities.

“By the end of this year, we might get two more teams,” PSL CEO Salman Naseer told local media on Thursday.

“We started at a time when no cricket was happening in Pakistan. The challenge was to bring it back. Now that we’ve successfully brought cricket back to traditional centres, the next step is expanding beyond these four cities (Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Multan),” he added.

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The PSL’s January-February window now faces competition from South Africa’s SA20 and the UAE’s International League T20, with its value hinging on post-season data as rights go up for sale.

“This year will be an interesting test, and with more teams, we anticipate a bigger window,” Salman Naseer said.

“Some of our rights are up for valuation after this PSL. A lot will depend on the data we gather,” he added.

The PSL 10 is set to start on April 11 with defending champions Islamabad United facing off against Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Title holders Islamabad United are the Pakistan Super League’s most successful team with three titles.