- PCB decision comes after drone event near Pindi Stadium.
- Says security for both domestic and foreign players the highest priority.
- PCB describes foreign cricketers as ‘precious guests’.
Karachi: Pakistan’s T20 Cricket League will be moved to the United Arab Emirates, officials said on Friday, after Indian attacks on the country, including a drone reaching Rawalpindi Stadium.
Pakistan’s army “neutralized” 28 Indian drones, including a near city stadium on Thursday morning, said Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
He called it “a deliberate attempt to target domestic and foreign cricket players”.
“Pakistan Cricket Board confirms that the remaining matches in Pakistan Super League have been moved to UAE,” read a PCB statement, which added that the schedule would be updated in a timely manner.
The decision was made after several meetings between the franchise and the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Minister of the Interior.
Naqvi said the decision was made for the sake of players’ safety.
“PCBs have always stood by the opinion that politics and sports should be kept apart.
“We have moved the remaining matches to the UAE so that the domestic as well as foreign cricketers, our precious guests, can be saved from the possible ruthless targeting of India.”
Former Masters Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi were to play at Rawalpindi Stadium on Thursday, but the match was postponed after a drone fell close to the stadium.
Seven -seven foreign players, including from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, participate in PSL.
India sent air strikes into Pakistan on Wednesday, two weeks after New Delhi accused Islamabad of supporting an attack on the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOK) – a claim that Pakistan denied.
Pakistan responded with heavy artillery fire, and both sides accused each other on Thursday of having made waves of drone attacks.
International Cricket resumed in Pakistan in 2020 after being suspended after the terrorist attacks in 2009 on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore.
Several Australian and New Zealand players involved in this season’s PSL, including Australia’s David Warner, had traveled to Pakistan with their national team in the recent past.
The following fixtures will be re -planned accordingly, PCB said.
• Karachi Kings against Peshawar Zalmi
• Peshawar Zalmi against Lahore Qalandars
• Islamabad United against Karachi Kings
• Multan Sultans against Quetta Gladiators
• Qualifier
• Eliminator 1
• Eliminator 2
• Final
