Pakistan Cricket Board Faces Setback as Government Bans Rights Sale
The Pakistan government has imposed a two-year ban on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), prohibiting them from selling the rights to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and international media. The Cricket Managing Committee initiated the bidding process for these rights but now faces disruptions due to the government directive.
The Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (sports) issued a notification to the PCB, mandating them to obtain government permission before finalizing any significant deals. This unexpected development has thwarted the PCB’s plans, leaving the schedule for the upcoming ninth edition of the PSL in limbo.
According to a source, “The Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (sports) government issued a notice, stating that moving forward, the CMC/PCB must obtain government permission before finalizing any significant deal.”
Despite anticipating substantial earnings from the rights sale, the PCB now grapples with uncertainty regarding securing favorable rates for media rights. The technical bids for the PSL broadcast, originally due by December 22, experienced a delay following a meeting between the Prime Minister and PCB’s Cricket Managing Committee (CMC) head Zaka Ashraf.
In response, the PCB notified potential bidders about the delay, pushing the submission of technical bids to the beginning of January. Consequently, the bidding process for the broadcast and media rights for the PSL has been postponed by two weeks.
