Pressure mounts on franchises to withhold players’ payments

ISLAMABAD: Pressure is mounting on the franchise owners of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) not to sign and even block the payments of those foreign players who are not hundred percent sure to travel to Pakistan to complete their commitment.

‘The News’ has learnt that Quetta Gladiators — the worst sufferers in this whole scenario for the second consecutive year — has decided not to sign or even withhold payments of those players in future who are reluctant to play in Pakistan. Two of their leading players — Kevin Pietersen and Shane Watson — left Quetta Gladiators high and dry, refusing to travel to Lahore for the first eliminator against Peshawar Zalmi even after initially expressing their willingness to play in Pakistan.

Both have played important role in earning knock-out stage berth for the Quetta. However, when the going got tough, the duo refused to travel to Pakistan citing family pressure as the reason.

“Pressure is there from Quetta team’s well-wishers to sign only those players in future who express their willingness to play in Pakistan. They say that there is no need to include those players in the team who, when the times come, take flight home from Dubai instead of travelling to Pakistan,” a source within the Quetta team said.

He added that there was no bigger player than that of Viv Richards. “If he is willing to travel to Pakistan and is doing so for the second consecutive year, others should not have any hesitation.”

Thisara Perera, Johnson Charles, Tom Kohler Cadmore, Chris Green and Mahmudullah are the foreign players available for selection for Quetta for the eliminators staring from today (Tuesday) with the match against Peshawar Zalmi.

Chances are there that majority of the PSL 4 matches in 2019 will be played in Pakistan. In that scenario, there are good chances that from here on only those players would be preferred who from the very start show their willingness to play in Pakistan.

One of the senior Quetta team members told ‘The News’ that owner Nadeem Omar has told all the members in clear terms not to sign contracts with Quetta unless and until they are hundred percent sure they would be travelling to Pakistan to play matches.

“Nadeem Bhai has told all the players at the conclusion of our matches in Dubai that those players would now be retained for Quetta who at all cost would be ready to comply with franchise owner’s decisions. Those players would not be signed from the fourth edition onward who have slightest of doubts about their travelling to Pakistan,” the senior member said.

He added that Pietersen and Watson signed the initial documents and had confirmed their availability to travel to Pakistan.“Now we plan much more strict measures that would include holding the payments of players if they decide not to travel to Pakistan in future,” he said.