Standard of cricket in PSL 9 - better or worse than previous editions?

[y33ny]

I remember looking so forward to this year’s edition of the PSL. I eagerly counted down the days till the first match, but when I saw the scoreboard, I threw up in my mouth. The camera quality looked as if the match was taking place in the polluted streets of China and the graphics were crap. Last year, the scoreboard was so clean. Effort was put into every detail. In addition, there were full crowds. The YouTube videos generated millions of views. This year, the graphics were crap, the font was trash, and everything looked so… budgeted.

I just wanted to see if anyone noticed this and I am curious for your opinion on the matter.

 

[Suleiman]

This year’s PSL definitely felt like some random Sui Gas or Cool n Cool sponsored national t20 tournament than a superstar filled franchise league tournament.

You’d get the feeling of the latter in previous editions for sure, though it was gradually declining once Sethi left the picture.

 

[y33ny]

Even the graphics of the recent National T20 were better lol. In addition, I have noticed that the videos containing snippets of the match which they post on Sports Central and the official channel are very laggy as compared to the actual match and are highly misleading. Some video titled Azam Khan Strokeplay or something had two shots from Azam and like a couple from Colin Munro for some reason. Last PSL was so successful because these issues weren’t present. Now people are comparing it to local tennis-ball leagues

 

[Abid Z]

The main points about all these t20 leagues including PSL were the introduction of young talent on a televised world stage and profit generation for board.

I can’t speak for the quality of cricket because ultimately this is subjective and this is after all Mickey Mouse cricket. Apart from PSL I wouldn’t watch any other league. IPL makes me want to vomit. Fumbles and drops are part of Pak cricket, can’t imagine life without them.

What I’ve really enjoyed in PSL is that every year it becomes more and more a positive or negative reflection of the country as a whole.

Changing of chairperson vs changing of political parties
Emergence of young talent vs entrenchment of the old guard
Decrepit worn out stadiums vs ramshackle economy.
Tired outside players vs tired outside experts.

inept locals vs inept foreigners

Everywhere you look you dress things up with razzmatazz and a bit of dazzle but if the budget isn’t there then well the budget is not there. Ask Zaka. What was the point of a Sind premier league. Wish Pak had a Lalit Modi character.

The one thing that’s really stood out is the female coaches bursting with enthusiasm and the local youngsters giving the established players one heck of a fright. Shadab must be quaking in his boots seeing Usama and Abrar doing well. M Harris v Rizwan will be interesting. Good bye faheem welcome MOHD Ali and A.afridi.

It’s been a delight this year. Who cares about production quality.

 

[Double Trouble]

The main points about all these t20 leagues including PSL were the introduction of young talent on a televised world stage and profit generation for board.

I can’t speak for the quality of cricket because ultimately this is subjective and this is after all Mickey Mouse cricket. Apart from PSL I wouldn’t watch any other league. IPL makes me want to vomit. Fumbles and drops are part of Pak cricket, can’t imagine life without them.

What I’ve really enjoyed in PSL is that every year it becomes more and more a positive or negative reflection of the country as a whole.

Changing of chairperson vs changing of political parties
Emergence of young talent vs entrenchment of the old guard
Decrepit worn out stadiums vs ramshackle economy.
Tired outside players vs tired outside experts.

inept locals vs inept foreigners

Everywhere you look you dress things up with razzmatazz and a bit of dazzle but if the budget isn’t there then well the budget is not there. Ask Zaka. What was the point of a Sind premier league. Wish Pak had a Lalit Modi character.

The one thing that’s really stood out is the female coaches bursting with enthusiasm and the local youngsters giving the established players one heck of a fright. Shadab must be quaking in his boots seeing Usama and Abrar doing well. M Harris v Rizwan will be interesting. Good bye faheem welcome MOHD Ali and A.afridi.

It’s been a delight this year. Who cares about production quality.

Nice written Abid

I have the same sentiments it was a delight to watch a lot of last over nail biting finishes is what these tamasha leagues require.

Overseas players? i think the local talent proved to be the winner on this occasion.

 

[y33ny]

You see, the quality of PSL has been slowly degrading since 2021. You can tell when effort and money is put into a league and when it is not. For tech gurus, all of the highlights and clips from 2018-2022 were 60fps while the ones from 2023-2024 were 30fps in highlights and even lower in clips.

 

[Hawkeye]

No competitiveness.

Players way past their sell date.

Pathetic fielding and bowling standards.

No wonder most PSL stars are always abject failures in international cricket.

We need to groom and pick players from first class / List A cricket. Not some tamasha league, no matter how entertaining.

 

[shortbread]

Getting top quality international talent is vital as it helps raise the bar. There's been entertaining moments, but the quality is questionable.

Time and again well-wishers try to hammer the point that, things like improved standards of fielding and fitness are low hanging fruit which can be achieved in a short time span with whatever resources available.

 

[Abid Z]

No competitiveness.

I think given that there were so many matches won in the last over or last couple of balls the competition was competitive both on a team front and also personally. There are a few young spinners challenging established players. Is SSA really the best left arm seamer in the country? Would you have Naseem or MOHD Ali or even Wasim Jnr in the team. I think it’s been competitive.

Players way past their sell date.

If they were IN their sell by date they would be playing for their national teams. By their very nature leagues attract former international stars.

Pathetic fielding and bowling standards.

Fielding yes. Nobody wants to slide on Pakistani grounds. They are not manicured like Australian grounds. Some bowling has been spectacular. Don’t compare it to international levels compare with Pak domestic it’s been a notch above.

No wonder most PSL stars are always abject failures in international cricket.

I don’t know if you mean Pak t20 players are abject or international players are abject. BABAR, Rizwan and previously SSA and Shadab were not abject. Nawaz was abject but this PSL has weeded out abject players like ashgar, gohar, Nawaz but instead introduced some promising youngsters. That’s good for Pak cricket.

We need to groom and pick players from first class / List A cricket. Not some tamasha league, no matter how entertaining.

Sure list A and first class cricket happens alongside and compliments Tamasha leagues. Boards need revenue and players need televised exposure otherwise they will be victims of nepotism. Everybody now knows the names of Usman khan, Tariq, Yasir etc.

It’s good for Pak cricket. But PCB can ill afford another low budget PSL next year or the brand will be tarnished.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

decreasing quality is a worrying sign. They need to improve both the audience experience and the selection of quality players otherwise this league may decline significantly in the coming years.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

decreasing quality is a worrying sign. They need to improve both the audience experience and the selection of quality players otherwise this league may decline significantly in the coming years.

The players are getting worse.

If players like Kushdil Shah and Anwar Ali are still starting then that really does give you an idea of the lack of quality.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

The players are getting worse.

If players like Kushdil Shah and Anwar Ali are still starting then that really does give you an idea of the lack of quality.

yeah true but the budget which franchise offers they can only get players like these.

Most importantly they have to bring good foreign players else it will keep looking like a domestic tournament.

 

[FearlessRoar]

As the ICC is posting about the IPL on their website, why not for the PSL?

 

[y33ny]

As the ICC is posting about the IPL on their website, why not for the PSL?

Because the whole system is Indian. I remember, during the world cup, that the BCCI posted all the WC highlights on their website for some reason. ICC is now doing the same kind of thing

 

[CerebralPatriot]

If your tournament has a team captained by Mohammad Rizwan make it into four consecutive finals than clearly the standard is in the gutter.

From 2016-2019 is when the PSL peaked and results where based on player performance and captaincy rather than whoever could display the most clownish antics

 

[Scoop_shot]

If your tournament has a team captained by Mohammad Rizwan make it into four consecutive finals than clearly the standard is in the gutter.

From 2016-2019 is when the PSL peaked and results where based on player performance and captaincy rather than whoever could display the most clownish antics

why do you hate rizwan so much?

 

[BouncerGuy]

As the ICC is posting about the IPL on their website, why not for the PSL?

The reasons are obvious. What else can we expect from INDIAN CRICKET COUNCIL?

 

[Savak]

PCB has rebutted FICA's assertion regarding delays in PSL payments, emphasizing that there has never been any delay in player payments throughout the league's history.

Usman Wahla, the PCB's director of international cricket operations, affirmed that all players have received their payments punctually in all nine seasons of the PSL.

"There has never been a delay in player payments in any of our nine PSL seasons... We have communicated with FICA to correct this misinformation in their report," Wahla said while an interaction with an international sports channel.

I doubt this is true, the PCB pays the players directly first and then deducts the reimbursement from the Franchises when transferring the Franchises their share of the central pool every year. This is how they ensure that there is no missed payments controversy.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Are big players skipping PSL too because of identical reasons:
====
David Warner shared his reasons pertaining to non participation in BPL with Bangladesh's Sabbir Rahman in the Zim-Afro T10 tournament:

"We, along with Anamul Haque Bijoy and Jimmy Neesham, used to have breakfast together and chat about various things. I asked Warner why he hasn't played in the BPL since 2019, after playing for Sylhet Sixers."

"Back then, the BPL had an environment that attracted top players, with cricketers like AB de Villiers participating. But now, the professionalism and organization of the tournament have declined. You need to improve the BPL. Look at the Pakistan Super League (PSL)—it started much later than the BPL, but now PSL is far ahead."

 

[Kianig89]

PSL has ruined Pakistan cricket that's a fact. There are 101 arguments to support it. Add to it the financial benefits of PSL for PCB are minimal therefore further denting their brand value in market. Add to it the so called marquee players Naseem Babar and SSA are vanished from Test team further vindicating the stance that PSL serves no purpose to Pakistan cricket.

 

[Savak]

Are big players skipping PSL too because of identical reasons:
====
David Warner shared his reasons pertaining to non participation in BPL with Bangladesh's Sabbir Rahman in the Zim-Afro T10 tournament:

"We, along with Anamul Haque Bijoy and Jimmy Neesham, used to have breakfast together and chat about various things. I asked Warner why he hasn't played in the BPL since 2019, after playing for Sylhet Sixers."

"Back then, the BPL had an environment that attracted top players, with cricketers like AB de Villiers participating. But now, the professionalism and organization of the tournament have declined. You need to improve the BPL. Look at the Pakistan Super League (PSL)—it started much later than the BPL, but now PSL is far ahead."

Ahmed Shehzad mentioned he spoke to the major players in BPL and they mentioned the following reasons for skipping the PSL

- Poor quality hotels and foods due to which they have to deal with food poisoning

- Frustration at being locked in hotels insufficient recreation options

- Non competitive pay

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Ahmed Shehzad mentioned he spoke to the major players in BPL and they mentioned the following reasons for skipping the PSL

- Poor quality hotels and foods due to which they have to deal with food poisoning

- Frustration at being locked in hotels insufficient recreation options

- Non competitive pay

Not a single 1 mile stretch of developed city centre in the entire country.

Nothing to do. Do the hotels even have bars for international guests? You can't expect them to eat kebabs all the time.

Food situation is more concernining. Their supply chain is full of neglience so ofcourse you are going to get food poisioning regularly. This is exacerbated when you head out of Islamabad. Even Lahore and Karachi is not to be trusted, forget about going to Multan or Peshawar, this is like going to parts of deprived and diseased Africa.

You have had many years to develop your country but it's just not happening is it. Only way to make them come is give excessive amounts of money like IPL do because lets be honest who would want to stay in India, the stench alone must be sickening but for the right price sure.