Pakistan Armed Group Threatens David Warner, Steve Smith: “Withdraw From PSL Immediately”

The fate of the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL) season appears to be in jeopardy, despite the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly deciding to host the event in only two cities, and behind closed doors. On Sunday, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the government directive, citing the West Asia conflict and soaring fuel prices as the primary reasons behind the decision. However, there may be more to the development than meets the eye. Reports have emerged suggesting that overseas players scheduled to participate in the PSL have been urged to pull out of the tournament or face dire consequences.

An armed opposition group in Pakistan, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, has issued a public statement warning overseas stars such as David Warner, Steve Smith, and Daryl Mitchell against participating. In a chilling ultimatum, the group stated that players’ safety cannot be guaranteed if they travel to Pakistan for the T20 league. In the note, the armed group asked Warner, Smith and other overseas stars to “withdraw immediately” from the PSL.

Explaining their stance, the group claimed they are not opposed to cricket as a sport, but argued that the prevailing security situation in Pakistan is unsuitable for staging a high-profile tournament involving international players.

“We want to advise the relevant cricket boards not to send their players to Pakistan. If something happens to them, it will not be our responsibility. We have already issued our warning,” a commander of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar told The Sunday Guardian.

When asked how the group would respond if players ignored the warning, the commander added, “We will do whatever is in our capacity, but we will not let the matches happen. We will do our best to ensure that the tournament is disrupted and the players do not take to the field.”

This year’s PSL features several high-profile internationals, including Australia’s David Warner, Steve Smith, and Adam Zampa, alongside England’s Moeen Ali and New Zealand’s Devon Conway. While the PCB has already implemented strict measures, the recent changes to the 2026 format have not been officially attributed to these threats. With the season set to bowl off on 26 March, all eyes are now on the PCB and the international stars to see how they navigate this developing situation.