This is not Cricket..!

PCB has devalued its own PSL tournament, by faulty match planning in its play off segment of the PSL-3 by reducing the whole tournament to a farce, as detailed below:

1. In the first playoff of PSL-3 which was played in Dubai the winner (Islamabad United) straight away qualified to play the final match, as is normally done all over cricket tournaments at the semi final stage.

2. However, the loser (Karachi Kings) team was not not eliminated, from the race of playing the finals.

3. In the second playoff match of the PSL-3 scheduled to be played in Lahore on 20 March, 2018 between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi teams, surprisingly, the losing team will be eliminated from the tournament (unlike the first playoff match loser team Karachi Kings) and winning team will also not be the direct entrant to the finals (unlike the first playoff match winner Islamabad United).

4. In English language when something is unfair they say it is not cricket, which reflects the spirit of the glorious game of cricket and is synonymous with fairness.
However, it seems for our PCB cricket bosses it means being unfair, wherever, it was possible.

5. The million dollar question which arises in this scheme of playoff matches is that why for the PCB what is good for goose is NOT good for gander?

6. Why both the second play off teams are being treated unfairly compared with the first playoff teams?

7. In other words, why the privilege given to both the winning and losing teams of the first playoff match played in Dubai, is not being offered to both the teams of the second playoff match, to be played in Lahore, where the losing team will be eliminated from the tournament, and surprisingly, the winning team will also not qualify for the final match, to be played in Karachi. Rather, the winning team of second playoff match, will have to play an extra match with the Karachi Kings, which will get second chance to play the final match despite losing its first playoff match in Dubai?

8. It seems that those at the helm of affairs in PCB, are not serious in building the image, stature and reputation of the PSL, but only wanted to fit in one extra match, notwithstanding the fact that this non serious approach, will badly devalue the Pakistan Super League brand in the international arena.