PSL In Trouble Amid Ongoing Conflict In Pakistan? PCB’s Big Statement

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared the training schedule with all the Pakistan Super League (PSL) teams despite the ongoing tensions in the region. Although the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict has escalated massively in the past few days, a report in The Express Tribune stated that no foreign player, including the Australians, has informed their franchises about their unavailability. The opening match of PSL 2026 is scheduled to take place between defending champions Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The report claimed that PCB officials have made it clear that the event will take place on time and the team practice sessions will take place on March 24 and 25.

In the past, the PCB has considered United Arab Emirates (UAE) as aa backup venue but according to the report, the PCB has not considered shifting the matches to another country. The players will reportedly be provided security equivalent to that of a head of state and the final of the competition is scheduled to take place on May 3.

Meanwhile, the participation of Bangladesh cricket team players in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) faced a major roadblock in light of the ongoing regional tensions.

Six players, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon (Lahore Qalandars), Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan Tamim (Peshawar Zalmi), and Rishad Hossain (Peshawar Zalmi), were granted No Objection Certificates (NOC) by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) after they were picked in the auction. However, the board has now decided to seek government approval before allowing the players to travel, according to Cricbuzz.

“Of course, we will seek permission from the government before sending our cricketers for the PSL. Under normal circumstances, these things are not required. We provide clearance, they go, play, and return. But since the situation is not normal and there is a risk element concerning the players, obviously we will discuss it with the government,” BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin told Cricbuzz.

“We will seek to know from the government whether it will be safe to travel or not, and based on that government decision, we will have to take the ultimate call on whether the players will go or not,” he said.

“Because it is not actually possible for us to understand the situation there. It is possible for the government to know. The government will know, and if the government tells us that it is safe to go and the players can travel, then the players will go. But, in principle, we have decided that we will give the NOC and they will go to play. But it depends on the situation at that time,” Nazmul added.