PSL set to collide with IPL in 2025 amid scheduling challenges

The upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League is set to collide with Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2025. The Champions Trophy will be hosted in the February-March window, which is forcing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to shift the PSL forward by a month, putting it on clash with the IPL. As per reports, the governing body has prepared a schedule, with the tournament expected to be played from April 10 to May 25.

PCB doesn’t have the opportunity to shift PSL to a later month while the tournament cannot be preponed due to Pakistan's international commitments, which includes a two-match Test series at home against West Indies, followed by a ODI tri-series at home involving New Zealand and South Africa and the 2025 Champions Trophy. Avoiding a clash with IPL, therefore, is unlikely even if it means the Pakistan league will have to compromise with availability of top-flight cricketers, sponsorship deals and viewership. 

A meeting where the issues was discussed took place in May but a final decision is yet to be made. Meanwhile, PCB also has planned to change the retention rule. As per the new guidelines, all the teams will have the opportunity to pick domestic players from three newly-introduced elite tournaments known as the Champions tournaments, spread across five teams. 

Also Read - PCB launches three new tournaments for 2024-25 domestic season

Notably, the restructuring aims to better the financial standing of the domestic players and to ensure a better, more competitive domestic season. A total of 150 cricketers will benefit from the new revised salary structure as it has been divided into three categories. As per reports, 40 players, selected for Category 1 will receive PKR 550,000 per month, while in Category 2, 50 players will be paid PKR 400,000 per month. Category 3 will comprise 60 players, each earning PKR 250,000 per month. 

In the 2023-24 domestic season, salaries ranged from PKR 50,000 to PKR 300,000, depending on the category of each player. A significant shift will also inspire budding cricketers as PCB has laid out plans for them as well.