PSL resumption likely to be delayed as 11 players denied entry to Abu Dhabi flight

Gulf Today Report

Resumption of Pakistan Super League (PSL) is likely to be delayed by a few days as former Pakistan and current Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and 10 others were denied entry to board commercial flights to Abu Dhabi.

The tournament is now likely to resume on June 9 in Abu Dhabi instead of the first week of next month as planned initially.

READ MORE

World Cup qualifiers moved from China to Dubai over virus cases

UAE Ajami targets Tokyo Olympics qualification

The Pakistan Super League, which was suspended in March this year due to Covid-19 cases, has suffered impediments prior to resumption.

Abu Dhabi is scheduled to host the remaining games of the Pakistan Super League.

Besides, 11 players and officials from Pakistan including former Pakistan and current Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, were not allowed to board the flight to Abu Dhabi via Doha and will now be sent through Bahrain. They have been sent home to spend time with their families as they await their visas.

As many as five cricketers and two coaches from South Africa and eight Indian broadcasters were able to reach only on Saturday and will have to undergo quarantine.

Over 200 players, support staff and tournament officials from Pakistan -- 57 persons from Karachi and 145 from Lahore -- are already in Abu Dhabi for the tournament after being flown on a special charter flight on May 27.

A report in Dawn, which said that PSL will probably start on June 9, said, "With both countries (India and South Africa) on the UAE's red-list due to Covid-19, getting visas on time became a big hurdle… more Indians and South Africans are expected to arrive in the UAE and since they have to complete a 10-day quarantine period, the resumption of the season will not be possible by June 5."