Karachi Champions League by Rashid Latif
By Sharafat • Feb 3rd, 2010 • Category: Entertainment • 20 CommentsRashid Latif has long been thinking of launching a city-based Twenty20 league but finally decided it was time to act when Pakistan’s leading cricketers were snubbed at an Indian Premier League (IPL) player auction in Mumbai last month.
The former Pakistan captain told himself that it was time to initiate a project that would initially cater to local players and could then be broadened into a national and even international league in the future.
Rashid sought a meeting with City Nazir Mustafa Kamal, who took a keen interest in his idea of launching a Twenty20 tournament and within days the Karachi Champions League was launched offering a record prize basket of Rs17 million for the competing clubs.
“The way our players were shabbily treated by the IPL forced me to get into action,” said Rashid, who played 37 Tests and 166 One-day Internationals during illustrious career that concluded in 2003.
“It was evident that Pakistan needed to have its own Twenty20 league. I can’t do that alone but I told myself that I could play my role in initiating a local league,” he stressed.
Rashid said he firmly believes that “actions speak louder than words”, adding that it’s time for all stakeholders associated with Pakistan cricket to come forward and do their bit to lift the sport out of the current crises.
“As a former Test cricketer, I regularly write and comment about the game but now I’m convinced that it is time for actions. Everybody talks about how the PCB has failed but is anyone ready to come forward to do anything concrete for Pakistan cricket? I must say that if all of us decide to do our bit then our cricket can really make great progress,” he said.
Rashid said he was overwhelmed by the support extended by City Nazir Mustafa Kamal for the project.
“It took him (Kamal) just two minutes to approve my idea of having a city-based Twenty20 league,” said Rashid, who will be supervising the Karachi Champions League that gets underway next week.
The inaugural edition of the Champions League will only feature local clubs but there are plans to convert it into a Pakistan Champions League in 2011.
“We can do it,” said Rashid. “In fact, we are hoping that this project will attract enough support from all quarters to enable us to turn into an international league in the future.”
The inaugural event is likely to feature top Karachi-based stars like Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Fawad Alam, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Khurram Manzoor and Khalid Latif.
The team winning the title after what will be a month-long tournament will walk away with Rs10 million — easily the biggest-ever prize in the history of club cricket in Pakistan. The runners-up will get Rs 5 million the semi-finalists Rs 500,000 each and the quarter-finalists Rs 250,000 apiece.
Each competing team will be allowed just one international player. The Rashid Latif Cricket Academy (RLCA) will conduct matches at various grounds while the tournament will be televised by Geo Super.
Source: The News
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Fantastic. I wish Rashid and stake holders best of luck.
All the best.
Rashid, good luck for this effort, pakistan cricket need these kind of tournament to regain the goldan era of cricket.
wow, i am really amazed by the effort being put in by Rashid Latif to bring back Pakistan lost identity in cricket world…………………and in ur faces bloody indians……………….go rashid latif
Slaps hasnain for foul mouthing here.
Hasnain its not even started. KPL is still under comtemplation. To make it a sucess it needs stake holders and viewers. This tournament if started will be limited within Pakistani borders because the big international cricketers wont get in here due to lack of money and safety and i dont think anybody will be interested to watch it worldwide.
Hasnain the winning team only gets 5 million as announced by Rashid Latif which is peanuts when compared to IPL, Big Bash(Australia), English T20 and South African T2O. Even the Stanford Cup in WestIndies does better in terms of prize money.
Hasnain we got a long way to go to get the attention worldwide.
good work rashid man keep it up i proud of you and i hope you gave a chance for international player for pakistan premier league T20 i mean http://www.pplt20.ning.com i like it boy best of luck.
Yaar this is just a city league and the price for a winning village team is not bad. I am sure if this league expands into a national league, the prize money will expand a lot. And talking about international viewers, remeber how much lahore badshas were loved. Don;t forget we are the world chamions in this.
All.
We are Paper champions. We could have salvaged a little pride had we won T20 in Australia. We did not win anything there and all we did was eat a cricket ball.
From a fan, well done Rashid Latif we are proud of you. If it is shown on tv I would definately watch it living in England. Pakistan has lots of fans outside of Pakistan and Pakistani players are always exciting to watch. I was really impressed by the U19 team in the recent concluded world cup.
Rashis Bhai CAn i participate this tournament??? also i am live in karachi F B Area.
wow…..this is such a nice comeback for pakistani cricket!!!!! and i wish all the luck to rashid bhai!!! way 2 go!!
btw moral police…..let’s see who wins and who succeeds….as u can see there is already a guy sittting in england and pleading to watch it.
and moral police it is not KPL…..it is KCL!!!
u r so not a true pakistani!!!
get out from IPL now…..
Excellent Work Mr. Rashid Latif and also Thanks to the Mayor of Karachi Mr. Mustafa Kamal to support the cricket of Pakistan and Karachi. Wish U all the best (Y)
Nicee i wass there in the opening i also plays in rlca enjoyed there
Well . . . ! Rashid latif nd mustafa kamal doing good jobs both together we pray for both long life of rashid bhai nd mustafa kamal saab. But its a repuest that please watch every team playerz becouse we have a smash hitterz nd good alroumderz but they havnt got chance even in first class cricket for rashid bhai plz seriously watch every player specially Hazrat hussain of AO cricket club becouse i havnt seen a punch hitter in my life . . . . I dnt knw who is hazrat hussain and where he is from bt i watch him in a match few day ago and i think if rashid bhai watch has game then he decide that wht class a player he is . . . .
Hi all pakistani friends, what happend to your KCL no response at all. why dont you pakistani understand you cant comptete with india on any grounds.KCL can gathered players from streets of Karachi but how you make global interest in KCL, No sponsors no crowd no money. is this way a cricket league will run. Rashid and his team day dreaming to compete with us. frist make your infrastructure world class then think about global cricket league.
Mr. Manoj Verma. For your information, KCL proved to be a big hit with over 10,000 people in the stadium and a payout of 1 crore rupees. Millions watched it on TV and youtube worldwide. Can you tell me one city level tournament that India has, that pays that kind of money, and pulls that kind of crowd? Maybe you cant even remember the city level tournament of your own city.
Hi Hassan, its plesure to know that KCL achive some success,the reason behind this , there is no international cricket in pakistan now days,cricket loving people in pakistan atleast find something to cheear abt. as far as money and tv broastcast is concernd u all know wht Rs 10 million means for indian cricket…….! so dont compare anything with indian cricket we are beyond ur expectation.
But i hope my friend pakistan cricket will stand again…..as i grow waching that…………..!
Bye and take care.
Mr. Manoj, you have not yet answered my challenge. Name one city level league that pays out one crore rupees and draws 10,000. You are wrong that it is because no international team is visiting Pakistan. Way back in the 70’s I used to visit Bakhtiyari Youth Centre to watch Ramzan Cup T20 (yes T20 was played in Karachi much before the world heard about it). Big names like Mansoor Akhtar, Rizwanuzzaman, Tariq Alam (father of Fawad Alam) all were proud to play and yes the stadiums had capacity crowds!
Did you hear abt auction of new IPL teams More than 3500 million$……………….ha ha ha…… KCL …………my foot
Mr. Manoj, you have not yet answered my challenge. Name one city level league that pays out one crore rupees and draws 10,000