Pakistan says remaining matches of flagship cricket league to be held in Abu Dhabi

ISLAMABAD: The remaining 20 matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 tournament, suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be held in Abu Dhabi, cricket’s governing body in Pakistan said on Thursday.
The PCB’s flagship tournament was suspended after 14 games in March after seven individuals, including six players, tested positive for COVID-19.
“Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed it has received all outstanding approvals and exemptions from the United Arab Emirates government for the staging of the remaining 20 HBL Pakistan Super League matches in Abu Dhabi,” PCB said in a statement published on its website.
“PCB, in consultation with the team owners, will now work at pace to finalize all event-related arrangements, details of which will be shared in due course,” PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said.
He thanked the UAE government, the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, the Emirates Cricket Board and the 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.”
Khan said PCB will now hold an online meeting with the six franchise owners “later in the day [Thursday] to update them about the progress made as well as to finalize all details.”
The governing body had said in April that PSL would resume on June 1 and the remaining 20 games would take place in Karachi’s National Stadium, with the final on June 20.
ESPNCricinfo has reported that all six PSL franchises had asked the PCB to move the tournament to the UAE, which also hosted last year’s Indian Premier League (IPL).
UAE authorities have made it mandatory for all players and officials to undergo a 10-day quarantine, Pakistan’s Geo News reported.

Pakistan says remaining matches of flagship cricket league to be held in Abu Dhabi