A lack of opportunities for Pakistani youngsters at PSL 3

[ManFan]

Just doing what I can to help.

Man of the people, eh? Remember. " Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely". JK.

 

[MMHS]

One of the biggest flaw in PSL I feel, is that in general it's not promoting PAK players. It's not only about opportunity (in Squad, or to play in XI), but even financially as well most local players are discriminated.

For example - IPL's scale is incomparable, still apart from few starling names, their payment for average foreigners is remarkably poor; compared to Indian players, it's nothing. What IPL teams have done is pay crazy ($1mn+) level for few top foreigners (but, compared to Indian top players, it's again lower), and MUCH lower for other foreigners, or players whose like to like replacement can be available domestically.

If I take a look at IPL, top foreigners are (randomly picked) -

Bravo (~$1mn), Maxi (~$1.4mn), Morris (~1.1mn), Finch, Tye, Stoinis (~$1mn each), Lynn, Strac (~$1.5mn), Narine, Russell (~$1.2mn), Cummins (~$1mn), Jofra (~$1.1mn), Stokes & Smith (~$2mn), AB ($1.7mn), Woakes ($1.1mn), Warner ($1.8mn), Rashid ($1.3mn) -

Compared to that some of the Indian players are almost unreal - Kohli, Rohit, MS, Dhawan, Bumrah, Jaddu ... can be understandable; but BK $1.3m, Manish $1.7mn, Sanju Samson ($1.2m), Hardik $1.8m, Kunal $1.3mn, Utthapa ~$1mn, Karun Niar, Axer ~$1mn, Shereyas $1.1mn, Rishab Pant $1.2m, Raina $1.7mn, Kedar Jadav ~$1.3mn, .................. Unadkat $2mn.

That's IPL's economy of scale, so the high payers are almost out of reach by every other league until ECB starts their one, we might see some comparison.

BUT, even at that scale, some of the foreigners are surprisingly low - Jordan $150K, Stanlake $77K, Kok $429K, Butler $674k, Laughlin $77K, Dumini $153K, Deleport $46K, Gayle ~$300K, Munro $290K, Roy $230K, Tahir $153K, Lungi/Shantner $77K, Shakib $300K, Rabada $425K ....

At any comparison, these are too low compared to average Indian players' payment. This indicates that, IPL pays only for those players, they can't find (or think can't find) at home; and whenever a like to like local players is available - they'll pay crazy for the local. KoK & Butlers' payment compared to Samson, Pant, Utthapa indicates that; same goes for Shakib. IPL is played when International cricket is almost shut down, therefore availability isn't an issue here.

On contrary, PSL has gone completely opposite route - instead of quality cricket or promoting local talents, they are looking to make "loud but hollow bang" using the name of foreigners. Few top foreigners I can understand, but hiring Ramdhin and few such others at premium price (of PSL's standard) doesn't give confidence that PSL is trying to build brand or promote local players. May be it's early days, but this strategy has to change (3rd year isn't early to be honest - besides, to their credit or lack of it, PSL has started as 6th league, a good decade after BCCI & half a decade after WICB, BCB started theirs - PCB got lot more time to plan & prepare).

If it's not financially viable, I would like to believe that PSL should reduce the foreign quota, to may be 2 per game, 4 in squad and create a separate class for foreigners (like foreign Diamond, foreign Platinum ...) and pay high to few top players - collect/develop rest from home, at a decent pay, which still is good for PAK players. BPL's payment model is a bit different (pay as you are available), and top foreign players were paid in between $35K-$50K/game for being available (that's players is available for selection - weather he is injured or coach isn't playing for better combination, doesn't hurt his payment; only if he is away for National/Domestic duty, he is not paid), which still is quite a damn good money. But, BPL used a complete different draft for local players, most of whom were in between $2-$3K/game - however, as every local player was available for full tournament, they took between $25-$35K for one season; not much, BUT it's ensuring a HEALTHY pay day for 60-70 average local players in 7 teams (+ the top 20-25 paid at per with foreigners).

PSL is happening in UAE (not in PAK, no security issues), and there are several "T20 specialists" these days who are often free - still many of the top, internationally active players are not interested for PSL, because of this fixed cap draft. If "player power" is the key driver, then PSL can't operate with fixing top bracket at $200K or so, and then expect Maxi, Hales, Roy, Munro, Stoinis, Finch, D'Archy Short, Bravo, ...... would risk their IPL season, just a few weeks before. SO, money can't be a deciding factor for PSL - what PSL can pay, IPL can always multiply that few times, therefore I think, PSL should immediately plan to host next round in PAK - pick players who are not IPL bound (if it starts just few weeks before IPL) and pay good money to few top foreigners who are willing to come - rest should be covered from exciting local talent, for which scouting should start immediately after every PSL (continuous process) ... and that scouting has to be better that Aquib Javed wala ..........

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Zafar dropped after taking 3 wickets in his only game

Farhan gone as well after playing most of his games in the middle order

 

[OoparCut]

One of the biggest flaw in PSL I feel, is that in general it's not promoting PAK players. It's not only about opportunity (in Squad, or to play in XI), but even financially as well most local players are discriminated.

For example - IPL's scale is incomparable, still apart from few starling names, their payment for average foreigners is remarkably poor; compared to Indian players, it's nothing. What IPL teams have done is pay crazy ($1mn+) level for few top foreigners (but, compared to Indian top players, it's again lower), and MUCH lower for other foreigners, or players whose like to like replacement can be available domestically.

If I take a look at IPL, top foreigners are (randomly picked) -

Bravo (~$1mn), Maxi (~$1.4mn), Morris (~1.1mn), Finch, Tye, Stoinis (~$1mn each), Lynn, Strac (~$1.5mn), Narine, Russell (~$1.2mn), Cummins (~$1mn), Jofra (~$1.1mn), Stokes & Smith (~$2mn), AB ($1.7mn), Woakes ($1.1mn), Warner ($1.8mn), Rashid ($1.3mn) -

Compared to that some of the Indian players are almost unreal - Kohli, Rohit, MS, Dhawan, Bumrah, Jaddu ... can be understandable; but BK $1.3m, Manish $1.7mn, Sanju Samson ($1.2m), Hardik $1.8m, Kunal $1.3mn, Utthapa ~$1mn, Karun Niar, Axer ~$1mn, Shereyas $1.1mn, Rishab Pant $1.2m, Raina $1.7mn, Kedar Jadav ~$1.3mn, .................. Unadkat $2mn.

That's IPL's economy of scale, so the high payers are almost out of reach by every other league until ECB starts their one, we might see some comparison.

BUT, even at that scale, some of the foreigners are surprisingly low - Jordan $150K, Stanlake $77K, Kok $429K, Butler $674k, Laughlin $77K, Dumini $153K, Deleport $46K, Gayle ~$300K, Munro $290K, Roy $230K, Tahir $153K, Lungi/Shantner $77K, Shakib $300K, Rabada $425K ....

At any comparison, these are too low compared to average Indian players' payment. This indicates that, IPL pays only for those players, they can't find (or think can't find) at home; and whenever a like to like local players is available - they'll pay crazy for the local. KoK & Butlers' payment compared to Samson, Pant, Utthapa indicates that; same goes for Shakib. IPL is played when International cricket is almost shut down, therefore availability isn't an issue here.

On contrary, PSL has gone completely opposite route - instead of quality cricket or promoting local talents, they are looking to make "loud but hollow bang" using the name of foreigners. Few top foreigners I can understand, but hiring Ramdhin and few such others at premium price (of PSL's standard) doesn't give confidence that PSL is trying to build brand or promote local players. May be it's early days, but this strategy has to change (3rd year isn't early to be honest - besides, to their credit or lack of it, PSL has started as 6th league, a good decade after BCCI & half a decade after WICB, BCB started theirs - PCB got lot more time to plan & prepare).

If it's not financially viable, I would like to believe that PSL should reduce the foreign quota, to may be 2 per game, 4 in squad and create a separate class for foreigners (like foreign Diamond, foreign Platinum ...) and pay high to few top players - collect/develop rest from home, at a decent pay, which still is good for PAK players. BPL's payment model is a bit different (pay as you are available), and top foreign players were paid in between $35K-$50K/game for being available (that's players is available for selection - weather he is injured or coach isn't playing for better combination, doesn't hurt his payment; only if he is away for National/Domestic duty, he is not paid), which still is quite a damn good money. But, BPL used a complete different draft for local players, most of whom were in between $2-$3K/game - however, as every local player was available for full tournament, they took between $25-$35K for one season; not much, BUT it's ensuring a HEALTHY pay day for 60-70 average local players in 7 teams (+ the top 20-25 paid at per with foreigners).

PSL is happening in UAE (not in PAK, no security issues), and there are several "T20 specialists" these days who are often free - still many of the top, internationally active players are not interested for PSL, because of this fixed cap draft. If "player power" is the key driver, then PSL can't operate with fixing top bracket at $200K or so, and then expect Maxi, Hales, Roy, Munro, Stoinis, Finch, D'Archy Short, Bravo, ...... would risk their IPL season, just a few weeks before. SO, money can't be a deciding factor for PSL - what PSL can pay, IPL can always multiply that few times, therefore I think, PSL should immediately plan to host next round in PAK - pick players who are not IPL bound (if it starts just few weeks before IPL) and pay good money to few top foreigners who are willing to come - rest should be covered from exciting local talent, for which scouting should start immediately after every PSL (continuous process) ... and that scouting has to be better that Aquib Javed wala ..........

Well written post and thoughts. But have you potentially considered the argument that Franchises will pay market prices to what the talent is worth? And that maybe Pak bench strength is not that strong that they have the options of players like Sanju Samson or Rishabh Pant who are better than the Dinesh Ramdins of the T20 circuit.

In that case, your suggestion of lowering the foreign player quota makes sense, but could reduce the cache of the tournament which does depend on the perception that it has high quality players playing. If you artificially inflate the number of local players, then the risk is that it will be just another domestic tourney and the interest could fade.

 

[MMHS]

Well written post and thoughts. But have you potentially considered the argument that Franchises will pay market prices to what the talent is worth? And that maybe Pak bench strength is not that strong that they have the options of players like Sanju Samson or Rishabh Pant who are better than the Dinesh Ramdins of the T20 circuit.

In that case, your suggestion of lowering the foreign player quota makes sense, but could reduce the cache of the tournament which does depend on the perception that it has high quality players playing. If you artificially inflate the number of local players, then the risk is that it will be just another domestic tourney and the interest could fade.

I works both ways actually - I don't think Jaydev Unadkat is worth $2mn either, when Rabada is available for $429K, and you know, from my head if I start to list pacers between Rabada & Unadkat, it might end in 3rd page. Coming to Dinesh Ramdhin - there are better options available even right now to be honest; here Ramdhin is pampered for his Passport, not cricket.

Personally, I think PAK's bench strength in T20 is actually as good if not better than IND for top 2 teams. But, obviously, 6/7 times population, better system, much larger economy, so after top 40-50 players, the gap will start to widen. IPL has 8 teams, PSL 6 - I do believe with proper scouting, training, coaching staffs and honest selections - TAKING OUT EVERY Foreigners, based on local only, 6 PSL teams vs 8 IPL teams will be quite close contest ball by ball, game by game. Make it 12 vs 16, last 6/7 PSL teams will come at the bottom comfortably.

Ultimately, PSL has to become a Domestic Tournament with few top quality foreigners - that's the way Club Sports work, and that's the way a league can survive; otherwise you can read the history of New York Cosmos, Kashima Antlers, Yokohama Mariners, Anzi Makachkala ...... Just for a like to like comparison - even in this PSL; just keep 3 X 6 = 18 players with 2 to play in XI - Ronchi/JP/Russell; Denley/Bopara/Morgan; Mac/Narine/Mustafiz; Sanga/Tahir/Pollard; Bravo/Tamim/Shakib; Watson/Rashid/Rossouw - and pay them twice to come to PAK and fill the other foreign slots with U25 players; it'll be a MUCH better PSL.

 

[DeadBall]

IU should have given Sahibzada another go today at least since they are guaranteed a top 2 spot already.