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While the project remains in the conceptual phase, the board is looking at the initiative as a way to maintain momentum during the off-season. The potential launch follows a period of strategic shifts for the board, which recently withdrew from the 2026 World Championship of Legends amid ongoing tensions with India.
Expanding the reach of franchise cricket
Salman Naseer, the chief executive of the PSL, confirmed that while discussions are ongoing, the board is optimistic about the format's potential. He noted that the primary goal is to create an entertaining and recurring event that captures the interest of a wider audience. Unlike the traditional Hong Kong Sixes, which operates on an international team basis, the proposed PSL Sixes would retain the franchise-based structure familiar to fans of the existing league, with teams representing various cities and regions across Pakistan.
A key component of the proposal involves taking the sport to regions that have not previously hosted PSL matches. By utilizing smaller stadiums and venues in secondary cities, the PCB hopes to satisfy the demand for live cricket in underserved areas. Naseer suggested that the scale of a six-a-side event makes it a practical vehicle for reaching these locations, providing fans in smaller cities with direct access to high-level franchise cricket.
Broader board developments
The exploration of the PSL Sixes comes alongside other administrative decisions regarding international participation. The PCB has reportedly declined to grant permission for the Pakistan over-50s team to travel to India for the upcoming International Masters Cricket World Cup in January. Despite the team's success in the previous edition held in Sri Lanka, the board informed the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association that travel to India for the event would not be permitted.
Pakistan maintains a strong historical connection to the six-a-side format, having secured the Hong Kong Sixes title six times since the tournament's inception in 1992. As the defending champions, the nation continues to be a prominent fixture in that competition, with the next edition set to commence on October 31.
