Pakistan Cricket Board reschedules T20 super league matches for June

Peshawar Zalmi's Haider Ali, left, and teammate Shoaib Malik celebrate after winning the Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 cricket match against Multan Sultans at the National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan on February 23, 2021. (AFP/File)

• The T20 matches were postponed earlier this month after several tournament participants tested positive for COVID-19
• The country’s cricket board calls June ‘the most preferred and practical window’ due to Pakistan cricket team’s international commitments

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) Governing Council on Thursday unanimously agreed to hold the remaining 20 PSL cricket tournament matches at Karachi’s National Cricket Stadium in June.
According to an official handout circulated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the decision was made during a virtual meeting between its members and all six cricket franchise owners. The meeting also took into consideration various factors related to the organization of the event.
The PSL 6 tournament matches were postponed earlier this month after several players tested positive for COVID-19.
“Following a meeting with the team owners and considering that the health and wellbeing of all participants is paramount, the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to postpone the HBL Pakistan Super League 6 with immediate effect,” the PCB said in a press release issued in the first week of March. “The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition, which had started on 20 February.”
The PCB announced Thursday that “June emerged as the most preferred and practical window due to Pakistan men’s national cricket team’s international commitments in March/April and late August/September.”
The cricket board’s management is yet to work out the operational and logistical challenges and said it will soon revert to the franchise owners and other stakeholders.