Why is Saudi Arabia Favouring PSL Over Indian Premier League?

With each passing day, Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the Indian Premier League (IPL) are growing in leaps and bounds. The two leagues are amongst the biggest cricket leagues in the world and are acting as a great platform for the young talents from both countries to make their presence felt.

While IPL is ahead in all aspects, the PSL is also slowly catching up. The interest of Saudi Arabia in hosting the PSL as well as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) desire to host the PSL in Saudi will surely skyrocket the brand value of the PSL.

PCB have been in constant talks with Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation as they plan to build a new cricket stadium in Jeddah, a proposal that has already received approval from the PCB's Governing Board.

PSL in Saudi Arabia - How Things Are Panning Out?

As per the reports in PTI, the initiative to make a new cricket stadium in Jeddah was proposed by Saudi Arabia itself. They have shown keen interest in expanding their presence in global cricket. They also explored their plans to launch their own T20 league. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi himself is handling the talks with Saudi cricket. He has already submitted an expression of interest for the project.

After various clashes between the two leagues, the debate of IPL vs PSL in Saudi Arabia is also happening now. It is to be noted that the IPL 2025 auction was held in Saudi Arabia by the BCCI, the richest cricket board in the world. Some of the state-owned oil companies in the Kingdom have also invested in the IPL.

Why is Saudi Arabia Favouring PSL Over IPL?

The collaboration of Saudi Arabia and PSL is mainly due to the interest driven by the significant South Asian expatriate population in Saudi Arabia, including a large Pakistani community, which could support cricket events in the region.

Currently, the main hub of international cricket is the United Arab Emirates, which is host to several events such as the Asia Cup, ICC events, and even the Indian Premier League. The UAE also served as a home to Pakistan cricket team between 2010 and 2019. It also hosted the early seasons of the PSL, particularly when security concerns prevented matches from being held in Pakistan.

The discussions for the growth of cricket in Saudi Arabia are underway and PCB wants this to happen because of the strong political ties between the two nations.