Pakistan Premier League seeks unique identity

The Pakistan Cricket Board is keen that the proposed Pakistan Premier League (PPL) has an identity of its own, considering that it will held in the aftermath of the Indian Premier League, and will soon reveal details of the Twenty20 tournament.

"We want the PPL to be a bit different from the Indian Premier League. We want the PPL to be distinguished by itself," Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB's chief operating officer, told Samaa TV, an Urdu news channel. "We plan to announce our concept and plans during or after the Asia Cup."

Naghmi said that one of the PCB's proposals was keeping a cap of five foreigners in the playing XI. "We don't want to exactly copy the IPL. So we are thinking about allowing teams to play five overseas players instead of four in the IPL." Another proposal being considered is each side being allowed to sign overseas players from only one country.

The PCB, had last September, announced its intention of setting up a Twenty20 league, consisting of six franchises owned by various corporates.