New Delhi, March 22 – The Pakistan Super League (PSL) will begin as scheduled on March 26, but only at two venues, with no spectators present, to conserve resources such as petrol amid the Gulf War, Pakistan cricket chief Mohsin Naqvi announced on Sunday.
The decision followed an extensive meeting with the eight franchises and a consultation with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
"The Pakistan Super League will start as per schedule on March 26 as we have to safeguard its credibility, and there was no window to stage it later," Naqvi said at a press conference in Lahore.
A new PSL schedule will soon be announced, featuring only two venues, Lahore and Karachi. Peshawar, Multan, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad have been removed from the schedule to reduce fuel consumption and conserve resources, as fuel is now tightly regulated by the government.
"I apologize to the fans of Peshawar who were due to watch the PSL matches for the first time, and I hope they get more matches next time," said Naqvi.
The high-profile opening ceremony has been cancelled to save more resources. Naqvi mentioned that most international players are expected to arrive early Monday to prepare for the matches.
Reports from Telecom Asia Sport previously indicated that foreign players, particularly Australians, faced difficulties in passing through the Gulf region to reach Pakistan. However, Naqvi now presents a different perspective.
Naqvi warned that he would pursue legal action against foreign players who either fail to show up or abandon their PSL contracts in favor of more lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) offers.
Blessing Muzarabani from Zimbabwe and Dasun Shanaka from Sri Lanka both joined the IPL after signing with PSL teams.
Naqvi also announced that all franchises will receive financial compensation for the loss of gate money caused by the absence of crowds.