PSL 2023: Najam Sethi reaches out to PM Shehbaz Sharif to break deadlock with Punjab govt

• Najam Sethi briefs PM Shehbaz on issue of security expenses: sources. 
• Says national institutions are responsible for PSL's arrangements.
• Refuses to accept Punjab govt's demands. 

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman Najam Sethi on Sunday reached out to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a bid to break the deadlock with the Punjab government over security expenditures of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight's Lahore and Rawalpindi leg. 

The fate of PSL fixtures in the two Punjab cities — including the final scheduled to take place in Lahore on March 19 — remains in limbo, as Punjab's interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi insisted that his cabinet is not willing to back off from the security expenditures for holding the tournament.

Naqvi had told reporters in Lahore that the Punjab government had spent Rs600 million on the PSL last year, adding "his cabinet is not ready to sanction the expenses" this time due to being an interim setup. 

Sethi contacted the premier and briefed him on the issue of security expenses, said the sources, adding that PM Shehbaz assured the PCB chief of complete support and assistance. 

The PCB chairman said that the matches will have to be shifted to Karachi if the government does not stop demanding money for security, refusing to fulfil the demands.

Sethi said that the PSL is a national tournament and the national institutions are responsible for its arrangements. 

On Saturday, the PCB Management Committee and the franchises discussed the matter. Sources told The News that "it was agreed that the Rs450 million in terms of security and other expenses would not be paid to the Punjab government."

PCB's stance is if the Punjab government keeps asking the board for paying the said amount then it will shift the Lahore and Pindi matches to Karachi, the sources added.

The sources also said that this will save money both for the PCB and the six franchises of the PSL 2023.

The financial capital Karachi has so far hosted eight PSL 2023 matches out of its share of nine with the last game to be held on Sunday between Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings.

The PCB has already paid the outstanding amount of Rs50 million to the Punjab government, a deal which the board had brokered with the previous government for holding the PSL 2023 matches in Punjab. However, last month a caretaker government took charge under the leadership of Mohsin Naqvi.

According to sources, the Sindh government is not demanding any extra money from the PCB and it would benefit the stakeholders if Pindi and Lahore matches are shifted to Karachi.