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"Abrupt postponement of PSL will have a hugely negative impact & could bankrupt it" : Najam Sethi

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"Abrupt postponement of PSL will have a hugely negative impact & could bankrupt it" : Najam Sethi

Najam Sethi speaking to PP:

You recall the tough hard decision I took to ban spot fixing players in the first PSL despite enormous pressure from the franchises and players. I remember Dino and Co begging me not to ban Sharjeel and Co. Today six tournaments later, there’s no cheating scandal!

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Najam Sethi " It wasn't just the isolation period that was at stake when it came to Sammy & Wahab. Strict rules were broken, stiff penalties should've been imposed so the message had gone out loud & clear. But the opposite message went out & the results are before everyone" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSL6?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSL6</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1367864284231987200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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LAHORE: Former chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi, the man who launched the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) six-year back and worked tirelessly to make it a world renowned brand, on Thursday lamented the way the league’s sixth chapter was deferred for an indefinite period due to seven Covid-19 cases and held the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) responsible for all the mess.

Speaking to Dawn, Sethi said: “The abrupt postponement of HBL PSL 6 will have a hugely negative impact on the league’s future and reports coming out are saying that the PCB failed to ensure strict observation of the SOPs as several franchise owners and their relatives, the players and PCB officials were clearly seen violating the SOPs at the stadium and some of them were seen sitting in the dugout which is preposterous.”

To a question Sethi agreed that the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) should have been taken on board for supervising the implementation of its SOPs, since the PSL is a national brand and a successful holding of it would have greatly enhanced the country’s image .

“Yes, if the NCOC had first permitted 20 per cent and then 50 per cent of spectators inside the stadium, and 100 per cent for the play-off matches, it should have deployed its own team to strictly ensure the Covid-19 protocols and the SOPs,” he argued.

Sethi also pointed out that late last year, when the Pakistan team toured New Zealand, the entire tour was strictly monitored by their health ministry and New Zealand Cricket had no role as far as Covid-19 SOPs were concerned.

“Look, the PCB has been involving a huge number of officials to provide security to the players and officials visiting Pakistan. In the same way NCOC must be involved in ensuring that everyone is following the SOPs as Covid-19 is a big threat for PSL, like any act of terrorism,” said Sethi.

He lamented how on the very first day of the PSL 6, the PCB had taken a quick U-turn by allowing Peshawar Zalmi captain Wahab Riaz and coach Darren Sammy to be part of their squad despite the fact that both had violated the SOPs.

When reminded that the PCB had clarified that appeals of Wahab and Sammy were accepted after they were tested negative along with their franchise owner Javed Latif, Sethi said as the symptoms of the disease could take several days to start the affect and for that purpose the isolation period of 10 to 14 days is advised by the experts. But in the cases of Wahab, Javed and Sammy, a quick U-turn was taken, violating the SOPs.

When asked about how much he estimated could be the financial damage the PCB may suffer due to the abrupt deferment of the league, Sethi said at this stage no one could predict the estimated amount, but it would be too high as the issues with the broadcasters, sponsors, franchises, players and officials would be raised in large number over the financial losses and for their compensation etc.

He said besides the financial losses, the trust deficit of all the stakeholders with the PCB may harm the credibility of the PSL and that might cause more damage to the league and create bad blood.

Sethi added that his niece also visited the team’s hotel and later told him that in the lift of the hotel, she saw some cricketers freely meeting the guests staying at the hotel and giving autographs and that was enough to tell how strictly the SOPs were being followed by the players.

He emphasised that massive damage control measure will be required to regain the confidence of all the stakeholders that the country had gained after tremendous efforts since 2015 which included hosting of Kenya, Zimbabwe, World XI, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Bangladesh, the MCC team and organisation of all the PSL matches in Pakistan last year.

Later, in his Tweet, Sethi said: “We, the people, media, security agencies, franchises and players-built PSL brand with our sweat, blood and tears. The nation is reeling with despair and outraged at the criminal negligence by this PCB Admin that has disrupted the tournament.”

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2021
 
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Words of wisdom by the greatest PCB chief ever. Wish he was still in charge instead of the incompetent duo of Wasim and Mani.

One can only imagine the disaster if this circus show was tasked with creating PSL and initiating the process of restoring international cricket in Pakistan.
 
Whatever your political views maybe, or whatever your views about Sethi may be, what he is saying is mostly true.

He is pointing some basic flaws that were ignored by PCB and they have to be accountable for that.
 
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No, it won't!

This is a worldwide crisis, so there is no reason to blow it out of proportion.

Yeah, the rules applied should have been more strict, but the players are also at fault and especially the owners, they deserve the most flak.

Also, the pcb successfully conducted the SA series without any hiccups.

If something like an attack happened, then it would be a great shame not only for the pcb, but the whole nation and its security procedure.
 
Najam Sethi is the official father of the PSL.

When he talks about the league, you listen. :batman:
 
Do not go to UAE, I disagree with him. We will never get players back to Pakistan if we make this move. Be strong and hold your ground.
 
Do not go to UAE, I disagree with him. We will never get players back to Pakistan if we make this move. Be strong and hold your ground.

Yes totally agree with this.
Whole purpose of bringing overseas players to Pakistan may take a hit here .
And PSL matches in UAE is one hell of a borefest
& Future tour of England and other major nation may get in jeopardy as they may request to hold it in UAE itself
 
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Stop beating around the bushes

Get your players vaccinated, and make sure all PSL participants are vaccinated ASAP! End the daily Testing once done. Secure the bubble for one season
 
Secure the bubble , retest after 7 days and start over again with tested negative players. Clamp down on the franchise owners who think they are exempted from the rules

No crowds to be allowed to the stadium , franchise owners to come in at a certain stand to watch and support their teams just like it happened in UAE.

Make arrangements and strictly follow the rules to keep players and support staff safe.
No mingling of individuals outside the bio bubble.

Make 3 matches a day and finish the tournament on time.
 
Secure the bubble , retest after 7 days and start over again with tested negative players. Clamp down on the franchise owners who think they are exempted from the rules

No crowds to be allowed to the stadium , franchise owners to come in at a certain stand to watch and support their teams just like it happened in UAE.

Make arrangements and strictly follow the rules to keep players and support staff safe.
No mingling of individuals outside the bio bubble.

Make 3 matches a day and finish the tournament on time.

Is there a chance for PSL to restart before the South Africa series?
 
Whatever your political views maybe, or whatever your views about Sethi may be, what he is saying is mostly true.

He is pointing some basic flaws that were ignored by PCB and they have to be accountable for that.

At the end of the day we can't be harsh and throw tomatoes at Wasim Khan because he's not Superman and you can't simply put the blame on one man. This is certainly very damaging and the image of cricket in Pakistan gets damaged, I mean one of the biggest questions is who approves a 3 day quarantine???? One of the fans in a sideline interview with Zainab said that he high fived one of the players, I mean if this isn't shocking then what is this??? Games should've been played behind closed doors because the covid crisis hasn't improved in Pakistan that you can relax everything. However, with one thing said don't do the PSL in UAE as their cases are worse than Pakistan.
 
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Is there a chance for PSL to restart before the South Africa series?

Media reports state that May is the only possible time where PSL can be staged because of the busy international schedule this year.
 
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At the end of the day we can't be harsh and throw tomatoes at Wasim Khan because he's not Superman and you can't simply put the blame on one man.

No I get that, but at the same time that doesn't mean that people shouldn't point out flaws, or mention oversights, and things PCB has got badly wrong.
 
Whatever your political views maybe, or whatever your views about Sethi may be, what he is saying is mostly true.

He is pointing some basic flaws that were ignored by PCB and they have to be accountable for that.

If anyone thinks this wouldn't happen under Najam Sethi, they are delusional. What happened this week has everything to do with a culture of self-entitlement which is rampant in Pakistan amongst within our Business Community, Celebrity Culture, Players, and Unfortunately within the Board. Everyone thinks they are a king and Najam Sethi is not outside that system. He is very much a part of it and has been for the vast majority of his life.
 
Words of wisdom by the greatest PCB chief ever. Wish he was still in charge instead of the incompetent duo of Wasim and Mani.

One can only imagine the disaster if this circus show was tasked with creating PSL and initiating the process of restoring international cricket in Pakistan.

I question your acumen and logic after this statement.
 
If anyone thinks this wouldn't happen under Najam Sethi, they are delusional. What happened this week has everything to do with a culture of self-entitlement which is rampant in Pakistan amongst within our Business Community, Celebrity Culture, Players, and Unfortunately within the Board. Everyone thinks they are a king and Najam Sethi is not outside that system. He is very much a part of it and has been for the vast majority of his life.

Impossible to say what would happen under which Chairman, but the point stands, he is making some obvious observations and pointing out glaring mistakes by PCB and the franchises.

I totally agree with your point about the culture issue which is rampant within those that have made PSL their plaything - players, players families, franchise owners and their families and friends, hangers-on, PCB officials, those working in the PSL in various guises.
 
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these tweets are exactly the reason he was so good

people underrate him because of political bias but if he was working under IK

you know he'd be treated with respect
 
Going to the UAE will set a dangerous precedent. Hold it in Pakistan but make the bio secure bubble tough and outsource it
 
these tweets are exactly the reason he was so good

people underrate him because of political bias but if he was working under IK

you know he'd be treated with respect

Make him CEO of PSL on twitter. This is what this bias chap truly deserves.
 
these tweets are exactly the reason he was so good

people underrate him because of political bias but if he was working under IK

you know he'd be treated with respect

He's also overrated because of political bias. Political bias is the only reason he was chairman, otherwise he had no cricket connection whatsoever.

Desis typically are impressed by big flashy objects (PSL) so Sethi gets good PR from some, but the grassroots, domestic cricket, and standard of pitches and balls were deplorable under his watch and a big reason why we were tottering in 6th/7th place in the Test and ODI rankings whe he left.
 
I question your acumen and logic after this statement.

Maybe you shouldn’t. I saw through the incompetence of Wasim Khan long ago and time has proved me right.

The justification that it would have happened under XYZ as well etc. is pointless. The reality is that it happened on the watch of Wasim Khan and he needs to be held accountable.

PCB committed elementary errors and exhibited remarkable level of carelessness. We clearly did not see the so-called professionalism that Wasim Khan was supposed to bring.
 
Some really good points made my Najam Sethi. Outsourcing it to a third part which he has recommended is pretty solid argument as Ministry of health or other organization and setups working in the field of health would definitely would have had better understanding of the how to form a bio secure bubble as they have been worked a lot over the last year with regards to Covid 19.

Regarding the negative impact, it would be pretty surprising if there are no insurance covers and other such contingency arrangements in place for such events which can potentially happen in the current world scenario.

With regards to how PSL has grown as a brand over the years, I dont think its gonna go bankrupt with this. If franchises would want out, PCB would potentially be able to sell/ lease out these franchises at a higher value like when they sold MS (30 odd bidders) in the 3rd edition for almost 2-3 times the value of previous most expensive franchise. As the first step to launch PSL was the biggest one as there were a lot of uncertainties around at that time.

Now the market has seen what it has become as a product so so I dont think the franchise owners would wont to back out at this stage when their value is much more and they can earn quite a decent sum in coming years and if I am not wrong they dont even own the franchises directly, its sort of a lease which they have while the main rights fall with the PCB.
 
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Probably the right way to go about it.

No, cause you'll get some players going to IPL for the money and you'll also lose viewership, India currently broadcasts the PSL on Sony so that will also be damaging.
 
I was so looking forward to watching something during this lockdown but the PCB's stupidity will make my mental health suffer even more as if during the lockdown it hasnt suffered already, I will sue the PCB for this.
 
Stop beating around the bushes

Get your players vaccinated, and make sure all PSL participants are vaccinated ASAP! End the daily Testing once done. Secure the bubble for one season

You do know you can catch COVID after getting vaccinated?
 
Sethi very active as the political temperature in the country rises - seems a well coordinated move. However, putting politics aside, what he is saying is commonsense.
 
Sethi very active as the political temperature in the country rises - seems a well coordinated move. However, putting politics aside, what he is saying is commonsense.

Yes and No. It sounds more like it's what he wants to happen so that his reign looks good. The PCB survived the fall out last year and will survive this time as well, just give it a couple of months
 
Yes and No. It sounds more like it's what he wants to happen so that his reign looks good. The PCB survived the fall out last year and will survive this time as well, just give it a couple of months

:facepalm:

so sethi caused the positive cases.

This is like sayhing Imran wanted PSL to fail during the PMLN govt.
 
:facepalm:

so sethi caused the positive cases.

This is like sayhing Imran wanted PSL to fail during the PMLN govt.

Imran was itching for PSL to flop. He even went out of his way to criticize and disrespect the foreign players and called them “railu kattas” just because he was disappointed that the foreign players were trusting Pakistan’s security.
 
Think the failure on political front is going to hurt many - so expect a lot of Imran this and that now.
 
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