Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday announced that the remaining eight matches of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) — postponed due to the conflict with India — would resume from May 17, with the final scheduled for May 25.
The PSL was first moved to the UAE and subsequently postponed after an Indian drone crashed close to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium last week.
In a post on X today, Naqvi stated that the league will pick up from where it left. “Let the aura take over as we unite and celebrate the spirit of cricket,” he wrote.
Earlier, it was reported that the six PSL franchises have reached out to players, who were flown from the country on a charter flight over the weekend as the cross-border skirmishes with India intensified last week, to return after a ceasefire agreement was reached.
“The franchises are in negotiations with their foreign players regarding the tentative dates of May 17 to 25 with Rawalpindi proposed to be the venue for the remaining matches,” sources told Dawn on Monday.
“As soon as the franchises confirm the availability of the foreign players, the PCB will announce the schedule of the remaining matches after getting the approval from chairman Mohsin Naqvi,” sources added.
With no international cricket during the proposed window, the PCB remains hopeful that the foreign players will return.
However, reports suggested that Australian players might not be open to the idea of returning to Pakistan or India, which also saw its T20 tournament — the Indian Premier League — suspended due to the escalating hostilities.
While most Australian players in both countries left for home, former Australia batter Ricky Ponting — now coach of IPL side Punjab Kings — deboarded his flight home following the ceasefire agreement.