Teams divided as PSL 5 fate hangs in the air
Statesman Report
LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) was called off before the semi-finals of the tournament could take place due to coronavirus and ESPNcricinfo reports the teams stand divided about their preferred method of deciding the winner.
The tournament, which was to be concluded on March 22, was postponed indefinitely after the round-robin stage.
The rules state that the team leading the points table at the close of round robin stage will be crowned winners if the knockout stage does not go ahead. In this case, Multan Sultans will win their maiden PSL tournament if the rest of the league does not take place.
Multan Sultans, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi secured their place in the play-offs as former champions Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators failed to make the cut for the first time.
Multan Sultans owner Alamgir Tareen has urged the PCB to not reschedule the tournament and award the title to his side. “We are yet to have a conversation with the PSL management to assess if and when they can find a window to schedule the playoffs. However, we do not see the rescheduling of the playoffs to be practical. If the PSL does identify a window for the playoffs in the later part of the year, who knows which players will be able to come and what the composition of the teams will be. Alternatively, if we set apart a week at the beginning of the next PSL and choose to play with newly drafted teams, it will be a part of PSL 6 more than a continuation of PSL 5.”
Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars understandably want the rest of the tournament to be contested after qualifying for the knockout rounds for the very first time.
“The only sense we understand is to regroup and play the tournament whenever it is possible and sign off with a winner,” Qalandars co-owners Sameen Rana said. “We believe in competing, otherwise there is no point of having playing cricket. The ideas of deciding a winner on the basis of a team on top in the group stage will suck out all the fun.”
Rana went on to say that the outcome is moot if there is no competition for the prize. “If this is a thought process then why are we playing cricket, let’s decide a winner based on the toss in every game we play.”