PCB identifies three windows for remaining PSL 6 matches

Monitoring Desk

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has identified three windows, during a meeting chaired by Chief Executive Wasim Khan on Friday, for the remaining Pakistan Super League (PSL) season six matches.

The PSL 6 was postponed after just 14 matches and nine match days on March 4. According to sources, one of the months from May, September or November could be used to host the remainder of the matches.

The first option, which is the month of May, could the see the matches takes place after Pakistan team returns from tour of Zimbabwe — which is likely to be May 18. Despite the potential clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL), the PCB believes that majority of the foreign cricketers that participate in the PSL won’t feature in the aforementioned league and hence this won’t cause the issue of players’ availability.

Meanwhile, the second option would be in September as no international series is planned during that time. Finally, the third option is after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in November. After criticism over bio-secure protocols, the PCB is likely to hire a foreign company, from England or Australia, for all the arrangements in this regard for future PSL matches. A tender will also be issued for this purpose.

Foreign cricketers will also have to isolate for a period of 10 days, instead of three, before joining the bubble. After reservations from franchises, the PCB is also likely to book the entire hotel for players and officials during the event, which was not the case earlier, inorder to avoid breaches. 

Peshawar Zalmi’s Wahab Riaz and Daren Sammy, along with many other players and officials, breached the bio-secure protocols before the league was postponed but no action was taken by the PCB. However, such a violation will not be tolerated in the future and strict action will be taken.

The remaining 2o matches will take place inside 11 days, through double headers on a daily basis. A day’s rest will be given before the final. The fixtures will only take place in one city, which is likely to be Karachi, Lahore or Rawalpindi. The PCB is not keen on hosting the remaining matches in the UAE as it will affect the confidence of international teams touring Pakistan in the future. All the recommendations will be forwarded to Chairman PCB, Ehsan Mani, who will discuss these with the franchises before taking the final decision.