The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has stopped its centrally-contracted players from participating in the inaugural season of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL) that starts from August 6 in Muzaffarabad.

PCB Director Media Samiul Hasan Burney told BBC Urdu that the board has taken the decision keeping in mind the issue of players’ fitness as managing their workload ahead of the T20 World Cup is a top priority.

“Pakistan's centrally contracted players will not be part of the Kashmir Premier League since they are currently in the West Indies. After the West Indies tour, Pakistan has series coming up against Afghanistan and England, so the players’ workload needs to be managed as well,” Burney said.

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He maintained that the KPL does not stand at par with the PSL or the National T20 Cup, as the former is Pakistan’s premier tournament and the latter is its domestic event. KPL, on the other hand, is a private league and mostly retired players are taking part in it, he added.

The first edition of the KPL will feature six franchises: Rawalakot Hawks, Kotli Lions, Mirpur Royals, Muzaffarabad Tigers, Overseas Warriors, and Bagh Stallions, competing against each other between August 6 and August 17. The match-wise schedule was also announced earlier in the day, according to which 19 matches will be played in the event.

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The detailed schedule of KPL is as follows:

August 6: Mirpur Royals vs Rawlakot Hawks

August 7: Bagh Stallions vs Kotli Lions

August 7: Overseas Warriors vs Muzaffarabad Tigers

August 8: Mirpur Royals vs Bagh Stallions

August 8: Rawlakot Hawks vs Kotli Lions

August 9: Overseas Warriors vs Mirpur Royals

August 9: Rawlakot Hawks vs Muzaffarabad Tigers

August 10: Muzaffarabad Tigers vs Kotli Lions

August 10: Bagh Stallions vs Overseas Warriors

August 11: Rawlakot Hawks vs Bagh Stallions

August 11: Kotli Lions vs Mirpur Royals

August 12: Bagh Stallions vs Muzaffarabad Tigers

August 12: Rawlakot Hawks vs Overseas Warriors

August 13: Overseas Warriors vs Kotli Lions

August 13: Muzaffarabad Tigers vs Mirpur Royals

August 14: Qualifier (Team 1 vs Team 2)

August 15: Eliminator 1 (Team 3 vs Team 4)

August 16: Eliminator 2 (Loser of Qualifier vs Winner of Eliminator 1)

August 17: Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator 2