The dream envisioned back in 2009 has finally met reality as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially launched Pakistan Super League (PSL). The fight has indeed been tough for the cricket board. Speculations, allegations, security threats, economic crises, availability of venue and foreign players, were among the many problems which made PSL a colossal challenge. However, the question remains: can this league change the eroded situation of cricket in Pakistan and open the door to valuable opportunities in the future?

To be brutally honest, Pakistani cricket is in mayhem right now and is gallantly fighting for its existence. India is showing zero cooperation and is busy showing tantrums like a petulant child! Moreover, in the international circle Pakistan is seen as a country engulfed by a security crisis, hence no acclaimed or renowned team – like Australia or South Africa – is ready to tour Pakistan. This leaves our board in a fix. So yes, right now, PSL does seem to be a game-changer.

Every board needs revenue to strengthen its roots and develop influence among other cricketing nations. A prime example is India. According to the annual report of BCCI, the board earned a staggering amount of Rs 1,194 billion from the 2013 edition of IPL! It clearly proves that cricket will always be a recession proof sport and if our board manages to introduce a similarly profitable product, it can surely change the proverbial wind direction.

Obviously the profit will not be staggering in the first year. However, the first edition can provide a strong base and enable us to develop something great. The league will not only bring innumerable amount of monetary benefits to the board, but will also aid various local franchises. Investors will be able to earn huge chunks in the name of media rights and, in totality, this will be a strong pat on the back for our economy. The interesting aspect remains the politics which shall begin after the league.

Cricket in Pakistan is equally popular as in India. Even though initially we cannot compete with the IPL, if the PSL proves to be a success and runs strong in the future, it can surely come out as a tough competitor. It will allow the Pakistani board to break the Indian monopoly and mark an end to the blackmailing business India is running for quite a long time now.

Moreover, Pakistan is famous for its raw talent. The dilapidated streets of Pakistan have produced treasured players; however, we fail to protect them. International exposure is the basic demand in order to nurture a talented player into a legend. The lack of interest of foreign teams to play in Pakistan has given a huge blow to the domestic players.

Although the visit of first-class teams is important, but the participation of junior level international teams is mandatory in order to groom the budding talent. Our youngsters have been completely deprived as the focus is on the main team, while the A team and other juniors are being completely ignored.

Inadequate resources, poor grounds and absence of quality players to compete with, have resulted in a huge loss. Thus, as things stand, the initiation of PSL is pivotal, because it will provide junior players the necessary exposure. We have seen players like Akshar Patel, Chadwick Walton, Ankit Tiwari and many others come to the fore front through such leagues.

A dismal corollary of the entire situation is the role of the media. PSL is Pakistan’s first very own league and needs all the possible support and coverage from the media. The tournament will only be successful if it manages to achieve apt amount of limelight from various TV channels. Although the league kick-started with a magnanimous ceremony, only a few channels gave it significant airtime. It’s simple marketing: if you want your product to be successful then it needs to be publicized!

PCB also needs to change its approach in this regard and hire professional media managers who promote the event on a larger scale. Taking an initiative is a difficult step indeed but transforming it into a success story is a necessary requirement in order to stay alive in the market!

It is rightly said that there will be no fruits if there are no roots. PCB, for once, has tried to instill some roots. But, a lot of effort and intelligent planning is required to strengthen the roots so that the plant can actually bear the weight of the fruit as well.