As the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final being pushed back to June 24, the Pakistan team’s departure for England for the upcoming limited-overs series starting in July has been delayed as well. The team will now depart on June 25 instead of June 23.
However, it was expected that the PSL would finish by June 20. But, due to various visa and quarantine-related rules, the second phase of the league hasn’t begun yet. Meanwhile, the PCB is hopeful that they will host the entire tournament by June 24, with the Pakistan team leaving one day later for the UK as well.
“Pakistan men’s team to now depart for England on 25 June instead of 23 June. Departure for England on 25 June will mean only three double-headers, if the event commences on 7 June,” the PCB said in a statement.
Notably, the PCB has also informed that a batch of seven new members, including Sarfaraz Ahmed, has already landed in Abu Dhabi for taking part in the second phase of the PSL. However, the defending champions Karachi Kings are currently leading the points table with a great net run rate as well. Meanwhile, after the PSL, the national team will play three One Day Internationals and as many T20Is against England which is scheduled to start on July 8.
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While the league got suspended earlier due to COVID-19, the Pakistan Cricket Board had received all its approvals and exemptions from the United Arab Emirates government to host the rest of the 20 HBL Pakistan Super League games in Abu Dhabi last month.
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “We are delighted with this development as the remaining hurdles in the staging of the remaining HBL PSL 6 matches in Abu Dhabi have been overcome and all systems are now good to go. We are grateful to the UAE government, National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, Emirates Cricket Board and Abu Dhabi Sports Council for their support and patronage in ensuring all final obstacles were removed, which has firmly put us in a position to complete our marquee event.”
“The PCB, in consultation with the team owners, will now work at pace to finalise all event-related arrangements, details of which will be shared in due course. I take this opportunity to thank my staff for their untiring efforts and hard work that included sacrificing their Eid-ul-Fitr holidays in an effort to ensure the PCB honours its commitment to its fans to hold the remaining matches of the tournament in June,” he again shared.
“The holding of the remaining matches in Abu Dhabi will allow our fans to once again follow and support their favourite players and teams through our high-quality broadcast coverage of one of the most competitive cricket leagues in the world,” he concluded.
