ICC events: PCB to go in bidding process from 2023 onwards

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to go in bidding process for hosting ICC events from 2023 onwards. Hosting two international sides - Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for home series and arrival of 36 foreign players for HBL PSL V 2020 in the country give a confidence boost to the PCB to go in a bidding process for hosting ICC events from 2023 onwards after a long interval.

Speaking at a presser along with Naveed Asghar CMO HBL and all six franchises owners a day before kicking off 5th edition of Pakistan's biggest sport event HBL PSL V 2020 at National Stadium Karachi (NSK), Ahsaan Mani chairman apprised that PCB was planning to bid aggressively for hosting ICC events from 2023 onwards.

He also expressed his gratitude to all six franchises owners, provincial governments and security agencies for their support to turn a dream of organizing whole event in Pakistan into reality.

"PCB has received lot of support from Sindh government during last edition hence it is a time to payback by organizing inaugural ceremony of HBL PSL in Karachi," he said.

The HBL PSL V 2020 silverware trophy was brought to the field of play by sports icon legendary Jahagir Khan and handed over to the skipper of defending champion Quetta Gladiators Sarfaraz Ahmad.

Mani said that squash legend Jahangir Khan was invited for carrying HBL PSL V 2020 trophy in order to recognize his services and give respect to the legend. Furthermore, he said that PCB was going through transitional phase and striving to remain transparent with the aim to rise as role model for other sports in Pakistan.

Chairman PCB apprised that out of total 450 foreign players registered for the event, 36 were picked by the franchisees and hoped this event would help boosting domestic tourism in the country.

Naveed Asghar Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) HBL said that 'HBL PSL' was the second biggest league in the world and added that HBL always tried to stand with PCB.

Furthermore, he said that it gave them lot of pride and joy to have whole HBL PSL V 2020 in Pakistan and added that HBL was enabling dreams and new talent was come up every year through this event. He also thanked Karachi administration and Sindh Rangers for their support.

Javed Afridi, owner of Peshawar Zalmi requested chairman PCB to recommend the name of Dareen Sammy, captain Zalmi for honorary citizenship, saying that his emotions and love for Pakistan was unmatchable.

Meanwhile, Salman Iqbal, owner of Karachi Kings, Nadeem Omer, owner of Quetta Gladiators, Atif Rana, CEO Lahore Qalandars, Ali Naqvi, owner of Islamabad United and Alamgir Khan Tareen, owner of Multan Sultan appreciated the PCB efforts for brining HBL PSL in the country.

Jahangir Khan while thanking PCB for the reorganization in a separate press conference urged all sports associations especially squash federation to organize leagues for the revival of other sports in the country.