The first edition of Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) will be held from the end of July until the beginning of August, 2011.
Pakistani cricketers will feel lucky to be in the event as nearly eight of them have been approached by organisers.
The SLPL will consist of Twenty20 matches, similar to those being played in India currently titled as, Indian Premier League (IPL). The organisers are in touch with almost all famous cricketers around the globe and they anticipate that the event will be a big success.
Pakistan cricketers have no international commitments during this period so there will be no problem for the players to take part and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will most likely give them a green signal.
Shahid Afridi, who is the current captain of the national side in both shorter forms of cricket, Test captain,Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, speedsters, Shoaib Akhtar, and, Umar Gul, have been approached initially.
The event is being organised by the Singapore based, ‘Somerset Entertainment’, and initially they contacted the Pakistani players directly.
However, the PCB was unhappy with direct contacts between players and SLPL organisers made their reservations known.
"We told them, in theory, we have no issues with our players taking part in the tournament", a senior board official told ESPNcricinfo. "The first priority of each player of course will be Pakistan's international commitments and if there is something on in that window and the player concerned is picked for Pakistan, that commitment will take priority".
Shoaib Malik will require a clearance from PCB’s integrity committee, who have not given him permission to play national, or, international cricket.
Pakistani players were disallowed from taking part in the IPL and they are the only ignored players from a Test playing nation. They took part in the IPL first edition in 2008 but due to Mumbai terror attacks they were sidelined and not considered for the lucrative league again.
No Pakistani domestic side was able to take part in the rewarding IPL spin-off, the Champions League, where all the best T20 domestic sides of the world take part. Some of the Pakistani players such as Gul, Rana Naveed, and, Afridi have benefitted by appearing in the Australian Big Bash because the timings effect their national commitments.
PCB sympathises with Pakistani cricketers, who are one among the best in the world for T20 cricket, but are being deprived of opportunities for quite some time.
"We are aware that our players have not benefitted as others around the world have done, though much of this is out of our hands. This will be a good opportunity, if things work out, for them to take part", said a PCB official.
Seven teams will participate in the SLPL and each team will consist of four international players and seven domestic players, There will be three salary tabs with a maximum of US $30,000.
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