Lahore
\nTwo of the Pakistan Super League\u2019s (PSL) most prominent and commercially successful outfits, Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi, have renewed their franchise rights for another 10 years, the country\u2019s cricket board announced on Monday.
\nThe agreements, finalised at market valuations determined by global audit firm Ernst & Young after what the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) described as a \u201ccomprehensive and transparent assessment\u201d, come ahead of the league\u2019s expansion to eight teams from its 11th edition next year.
\nLahore Qalandars \u2014 the PSL\u2019s most valuable franchise and winners of three of the last four editions under Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi \u2014 were among the first to extend their rights.
\n\u201cIt gives me immense pleasure that Lahore Qalandars will continue to stay with its current owners,\u201d PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement.
\n\u201c[Qalandars owners] Atif Rana and Sameen Rana have worked extremely hard to turn this franchise into a household name across Pakistan and a reputable brand around the world.\u201d
\nPeshawar Zalmi, one of the league\u2019s most recognisable brands and champions in 2017, also renewed their decade-long rights on Monday.
\nLed by owner Javed Afridi, the franchise has cultivated one of the strongest fan bases in the league and was the most-watched team during the last PSL season, said the PCB.
\nMohsin lauded Javed\u2019s \u201ccommitment, professionalism and passion\u201d, saying his leadership had \u201cplayed a fundamental role in elevating the Zalmi brand into one of the most dynamic and admired sporting entities in Pakistan\u201d.
\n\u201cJaved Afridi\u2019s vision has contributed immensely to the growth of the HBL PSL,\u201d he added. \u201cHis decision to renew reflects a strong belief in the league\u2019s future potential.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lahore Two of the Pakistan Super League\u2019s (PSL) most prominent and commercially successful outfits, Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi, have renewed their franchise rights for another 10 years, the country\u2019s cricket board announced on Monday. The agreements, finalised at market valuations determined by global audit firm Ernst & Young after what the Pakistan Cricket Board […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":516602,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-516575","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n