Pakistan could host ILT20 matches, says league CEO

International League T20 (ILT20) CEO David White has said that league games could be hosted in Pakistan in the future, in a bid to overcome scheduling problems and increase the presence of Pakistani players in the tournament.

Hosting games in Pakistan

"We will consider hosting ILT20 matches in Pakistan in the future,” David White told Geo News.

ILT20 concluded with a final on Sunday, which was won by Desert Vipers, featuring as many as five Pakistani players, including Naseem Shah, Zafar Gohar, Usman Tariq, Fakhar Zaman, and Hassan Nawaz.

White also said that the representation of Pakistani players in the future is likely to increase, having seen the players contribute significantly to the league this year. Besides players, many Pakistanis were part of the commentary panel as well as the support staff across teams in the league.

Scheduling difficulties

ILT20’s usual window is February-March; however, the tournament was scheduled early this year because of the T20 World Cup. In addition to that, White acknowledged that the league had suffered from scheduling difficulties due to the emergence of several franchise leagues that run simultaneously. Despite that, he was glad with the success the league achieved.

"This year, there have been some difficulties in the window due to the T20 World Cup. Despite this, we have quality players, even though two other leagues are running simultaneously in the world. Our facilities are very good; we have three world-class grounds. This league is benefiting Emirati cricket a lot."

“We decided to play earlier, and it's been very successful. We're very happy with it. I think the quality of players has been very good."

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