RAWALPINDI/KARACHI: It took an hours-long meeting, consultations with all the stakeholders, before the Pakistan Cricket Board eventually decided that in the view of the escalating tensions with India, it was unsafe to hold the Pakistan Super League in the country.
The show, however, will go on with the closing stages of this season’s PSL to be held in the United Arab Emirates.
“The PCB confirms that the remaining fixtures of the HBL PSL X have been shifted to the UAE,” the PCB said in a statement in the early hours of Friday morning. “The exact schedule of matches, outlining the dates and venues, will be shared in due course.”
Four matches of the league stage of the country’s glitzy T20 extravaganza are still to be held, which will decide which four teams advance to the playoffs.
That, after Thursday’s match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings, which was to be held at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, was called off hours before the scheduled start time.
Pakistan’s military on Thursday said it took down nearly two dozen Indian drones sent on this side of the border since the previous night. One of those drones crashed within the stadium’s complex, inflicting some damage.
The worsening situation saw the PCB, PSL and government officials gather for a meeting, which continued till late in the night with other venues, including Karachi and Dubai, coming into consideration for the remaining eight matches of the league.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement that the board had decided to shift the remaining matches to the UAE so that the domestic as well as foreign cricketers could be saved from “the possible reckless targeting by India”.
He also stressed it was important for the board “to ensure the mental well-being of all players” participating in the tournament.
PCB spokesperson Amir Mir had told Dawn earlier on Thursday the security of the players, especially the foreigners is the most important for us. “There have been drones brought down in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi We will decide in due course what needs to be done.”
Carrying out the matches in Rawalpindi only also came under discussion, sources said.
Asked if postponing all the remaining matches for an indefinite period was an option, sources in PCB said that it was highly unlikely as foreign players due the national and international commitments of foreign players.
BBC Sport had reported that a postponement was being considered.
Earlier on Thursday, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister held a meeting with the PSL teams — except Multan Sultans, who are currently in their home city — in Islamabad and met foreign players.
Out of remaining eight matches — four were slated to be held in Rawalpindi, one in Multan and three in Lahore, including the final.
The cross border tensions also affected Thursday’s Indian Premier League match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in the Himalayan region of Dharamsala, which was called off midway due to a “floodlight malfunction” according to the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
The incident occurred hours after the BCCI had said that it had shifted the match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians — scheduled to be held on Sunday in Dharamsala – to Ahmedabad.
Cricket boards around the world were monitoring the situation across the two countries with several foreign-based players featuring in both the PSL and the IPL.
Bangladeshi media reported that The Bangladesh Cricket Board was working to bring home Nahid Rana and Rishad Hossain — participating in the PSL for Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars respectively — “in a timely and secure manner”.
“The BCB is in active coordination with the PCB and the Bangladesh High Commission in Islamabad to ensure that all necessary measures are in place to guarantee the security of our players,” the board said in a statement.
BBC Sport reported that some English players participating in the PSL were considering leaving while others wanted to stay.
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) has been in regular contact with the 15-person contingent, it said.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) also said that it was in touch with their players in the PSL and IPL and has engaged West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) “to coordinate and ensure the safety, security, and well-being of all West Indies players and support personnel in the region”.
Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2025
