Pakistan’s National T20 championship postponed due to IPL

The Pakistan Cricket Board has been forced to postpone its national Twenty20 championship due to the Indian Premier league (IPL) starting April 18.
An official of the board said no dates had been set for the domestic T20 event although the original plan was to hold it early in the year.
“All the main players will be going to the IPL after the Bangladesh series. And the sponsors don’t want an event without the leading names,” the official said.
The T20 competition is one of the most successful domestic tournaments in Pakistan and the last three editions have drawn big crowds with all the leading players also making it a point to play in the event.
The official said the tournament would now probably be held sometime in August and could be renamed as the Pakistan Premier League.
“August is the best time for us to hold the competition now because all the players would be available to us,” he added.
A dozen Pakistani players are signed up to play in the IPL.