Abu Dhabi to host remaining Pakistan Super League matches, says PCB
- 20 May 2021
Gulf Today Report
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Thursday that it had received all outstanding approvals and exemptions from the UAE government for staging the remaining 20 Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches in Abu Dhabi next month.
The league was suspended in March after several players and support staff on the six teams tested positive for COVID-19.
"We are delighted with this development as the remaining hurdles in the staging of the remaining (league) matches in Abu Dhabi have been overcome and all systems are now good to go,” PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said in a statement.
“We are grateful to 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.
“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," he said.
He also thanked his staff for their untiring efforts and hard work that included "sacrificing their Eid Al Fitr holidays" in an effort to ensure that the board honours its commitment to its fans to hold the remaining matches of the tournament in June.
“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 said.
The board and the six franchise owners planned to talk later on Wednesday to finalise arrangements. The league is scheduled to finish in June prior to the national team’s departure for its England tour.
In early May, the Indian Premier League was suspended indefinitely after outbreaks on three teams amid a surge in coronavirus infections nationwide.
