The remaining 8 matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) have been suspended indefinitely due to escalating tensions along the India-Pakistan border.
As the conflict between the two countries intensifies, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday night that all remaining PSL matches are now on hold. A future decision will determine when or if the tournament resumes.
On the same day, the Indian Premier League (IPL) was also suspended for one week due to the ongoing military conflict between the two nations.
Earlier on Friday morning, the PCB had announced that the rest of the PSL matches would be moved to the United Arab Emirates. However, within 24 hours, that plan was scrapped.
In a statement, the PCB said that the situation along the border has worsened significantly over the last 24 hours. At least 78 Indian drones have reportedly entered Pakistani airspace, accompanied by continuous missile strikes from the Indian side.
As a result, under instructions from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the PSL management has decided to suspend the tournament for now.
“Based on advice from the Prime Minister’s Office, the decision to suspend the PSL has been made. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been closely monitoring India’s reckless aggression, which has reached a point where national focus and emotion are firmly centered on the courageous efforts of Pakistan’s armed forces to uphold the country’s sovereignty.”
Security concerns intensified after an Indian drone strike near the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday. That day’s scheduled match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings was immediately postponed.
Following the attack, about 40 foreign players—including Bangladesh’s Nahid Rana and Rishad Hossain—met with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to express their desire to leave Pakistan as soon as possible.
To ensure their safety, the PCB arranged a special charter flight on Friday night. Nahid, Rishad, and the other international players have already departed for the UAE.
Initially, the plan was for these matches to be completed in the UAE before the players returned home. However, due to the worsening situation, most foreign players are now eager to return to their countries as quickly as possible from Dubai.
