The Pakistan Cricket Board might not be hopeful about launching a smaller version of the Indian Premier League in the country but some former players and enterprising individuals here have already initiated events modelled on the lines of the lucrative twenty20 tournament.
This year the holy month of Ramadhan has seen a mushrooming of Twenty20 tournaments in the city with some of them featuring franchised teams and guest players whose services have been obtained for good money.
One of the more popular tournaments, Dr Muhammad Ali Street Ramazan night tournament concluded on Friday night before a huge crowd with number of Pakistan players and upcoming stars featuring in both finalist teams, Go Ash and Umar Cricket club.
Interestingly, the Go Ash team was sponsored and bankrolled by a leading group that runs an adventure park here and is planning more branches in Pakistan while the Umar club is sponsored and financed by a businessman, Nadeem Umar.
Other participating teams were also franchised by companies and rich individuals and former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif feels the Pakistan Cricket Board could launch a smaller version of the IPL in the country, if it wants.
“It is a new trend teams being sponsored and financed by companies and individuals. It is a new trend of top players getting well paid to play as guest players for these teams,” Latif said.
