The eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) came to a close on March 18 (Saturday) after Lahore Qalandars registered a nerve-jangling one-run victory against Multan Sultans in the final. Shaheen Afridi's men exacted their revenge after losing Qualifier 1 against the Multan Sultans. The recently-concluded PSL season was a massive success and if one believes Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi then the PSL's digital success was bigger than that of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
"Let's talk about digital. PSL was only at the half stage, so I asked about our digital rating. Najam Sethi show used to have a 0.5 rating on TV, whereas PSL is getting a rating of more than 11. So, it would be 18 or 20, when it completes," Sethi said ahead of the PSL final.
"Over 150 million people watched it digitally. It is not a small thing. At the same stage, IPL's digital rating was 130 million and PSL's is more than 150 million. So this is a great success for Pakistan", he added.
When it comes to the IPL, the cash-rich tournament is the best and the most successful franchise-based T20 league in the world. Superstar cricketers from all over the world showcase their talent in the IPL. Also, IPL laid the foundation stone for T20 leagues like the Big Bash League (BBL), PSL, and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) among others.
The 16th edition of the IPL is scheduled to begin on March 31 (Saturday). The first match of the season will be played between defending champions Gujarat Titans and four-time champions Chennai Super Kings. Hardik Pandya will lead the Gujarat-based franchise while MS Dhoni will captain the Chennai-based franchise.
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