Pakistan plans own version of IPL

Apr 13, 2011 |

Lahore

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Pakistan hopes to launch a new cricket league based on the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) in a bid to win back its status as an international host, an official said on Wednesday.

International cricket has been suspended in Pakistan since March 2009 when gunmen attacked a convoy carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team in the eastern city of Lahore.

Security fears remain high, but Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) domestic cricket general manager Sultan Rana said the popularity of the Twenty20 format made it a possibility worth exploring.

The IPL, which rakes in millions of dollars each season, is now in its fourth year and attracts top international players from across the cricketing world.

"We have discussed the idea of having a professional IPL type league in the recent PCB cricket committee meeting and agreed to keep it alive as one of the main events to restore our international activity," Rana said.

"We had been deliberating on the idea of having an IPL type league but... after the Lahore attacks we had to put that on hold," said Rana, who also served on the Asian Cricket Council.

Rana told the pakpassion.net cricket website that top foreign players would not be willing to play in Pakistan and the PCB was exploring the idea of staging the tournament in Dubai

International teams, reluctant to tour the troubled country even before the Lahore attacks, have forced Pakistan to play its home series at neutral venues in England and the United Arab Emirates since the Lahore incident.

The attacks, which left eight people dead and wounded seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach, forced the International Cricket Council to strip Pakistan of its share of World Cup 2011 matches.

Rana acknowledged the security situation in Pakistan needed to improve before the resumption of international cricket.

More than 4,200 people have been killed across Pakistan in violence blamed on extremist militants nearly four years.

"To stage a league or any international activity we need a security situation whereby players feel comfortable to come," he said.

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