Chris Gayle, Dwyane Bravo, Kevin Pietersen Sign up for Pakistan Super League
Pakistan is rolling the dice on global superstars such as Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen to boost the country's cash-strapped cricket board when its new high-octane, short-form Twenty20 league begins in the UAE next month.
West Indian swashbucklers, Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, along with England discard Kevin Pietersen and retired Sri Lankan ace Kumar Sangakkara are some of the top international cricketers who will be seen in action in next month's inaugural Pakistan Super League. (Twenty20 Specialist Chris Gayle Set to Spice up Pakistan Super League)
Some of the other top players, along with Pakistan cricketers who would be playing in the February 4-23 T20 League to be held in the UAE, are Darren Sammy, Andre Russell (West Indies), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (Australia), Luke Wright, Ravi Bopara (England), Tilakkaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka), Shakib al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mustafizur Rahman, (Bangladesh), said a media release.
Former England head coach and ex-Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower, Paddy Upton (mental conditioning coach of India when they won the 2011 World Cup), Mickey Arthur (former South Africa and Australia coach), Dean Jones (former Australian batsman) have joined the PSL as coaches. (Pakistan Super League: Glitz, Glamour and Promises of IPL-Style Cricket)
The PSL, an annual city-based T20 franchise tournament organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board for which five teams were sold for USD 93 million, is the single largest investment in any kind of sport in Pakistan. (Pakistan Cricket Board Relying on Twenty20 Super League to Boost Revenue)
The five regional teams are Quetta Gladiators, Peshawar Zalmi, Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings, and Islamabad United with each team playing the other twice in the preliminary phase, said the release.