LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has called an emergency meeting ofall the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise owners here on Tuesday, totake some key decisions in the backdrop of a recent announcement by theEmirates Cricket Board to launch its own International T20 League next yearwhich could pose numerous problems for the much popular and successful PSL.

PCB chairman Najam Sethi has already warned that if the UAE authoritiescontinue to create hurdles in the way of the PSL, all the league matchescould be shifted to Pakistan.

Though it is not easy for the PCB to host all the 35 matches of the PSL inPakistan due to security and other issues, there are reports that all thefranchises are willing to play all matches in Pakistan instead of holdingmajority of the matches in the UAE.

There are also reports that the PCB has proposed the Emirates Cricket Board(ECB) that if their T20 league concludes at least 35 days before the startof the PSL, then the PCB will not have any objection, otherwise all thematches would be shifted to Pakistan regardless of whether or not theforeign players agree to come here and play.

The PCB believes the PSL has become a successful brand with the Pakistanisall around the world showing great interest in it, and even second line offoreign players could make the showpiece event very exciting and colourfulon Pakistan soil.

It may be mentioned here that the cost of stadium and other expenditures inthe UAE are already proving too much for the PCB the grounds in Dubai andAbu Dhabi are seldom filling up for the matches. The scenario in Pakistancould be a very different one if the league matches are staged here as theycould witness packed to capacity crowds as were seen during the twoplay-offs and the final staged in Lahore and Karachi respectively earlythis year in PSL-2018.