Some former players and enterprising individuals in Pakistan have initiated events modeled on the lines of the IPL.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board does not seem to be hopeful about launching a smaller version of the the lucrative twenty20 tournament in the country.
"It is a new trend"
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.
"Pakistan can also host its own PPL"
The Dr Muhammad Shah tournament even became a bone of contention between the organisers, broadcasters and the PCB after the latter refused to give permission to members of the Champions Trophy squad to play in local tournaments to avoid any injury problems.
"If the board had allowed the players to play we would have got more response for the semi-finals and final," Dr Shah said.
Tariq Raz, a top marketing man and cricket commentator made the point that if the PCB moved steadily it could itself soon introduce the culture of franchised teams playing in Pakistan's domestic cricket circuit.
"Why not! It will happen slowly but it can happen. There is money in the market not comparable to India but definitely Pakistan can also host its own PPL with proper efforts," Raz said.
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