Just four days before the start of the 2026 season of the Pakistan Super League, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the initial matches of the competition will take place behind closed doors until the ongoing war in West Asia comes to a halt.
Furthermore, the number of venues has been reduced from six to two – matches will only take place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, and the National Stadium in Karachi. Games were originally scheduled to take place in Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Multan, and Faisalabad as well.
The decision was announced by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi during a press briefing at the Gaddafi Stadium on March 22. In his statement, the chairman said the decision was taken after a meeting was held with all shareholders involved with the tournament, including PSL franchise owners, along with consultations with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
ALSO READ: IPL 2026 build-up far from ideal for franchises as injuries, absences pile up
“The Prime Minister has requested restricted movement because of the fuel crisis, so we have decided that the PSL would continue as per the original schedule, but without crowds. The opening ceremony has been cancelled too,” the chairman said, adding that fans who had already bought tickets will receive refunds and franchise owners will be compensated for the loss of revenue.
The chairman also said that legal action would be taken against players who have opted out of their PSL contracts, due to potential opportunities that have opened up owing to injuries to a number of players in the IPL.
The first match of the PSL will take place on March 26 between Lahore Qalandars and the Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi stadium.
With inputs from AFP and PTI“
Published on Mar 22, 2026
Source link
#PSL #Initial #matches #held #closed #doors #venues #reduced
![Suryansh Shedge: Should have stayed longer because I was set Spending time in the middle was the mantra for Suryansh Shedge, whose 57 off 29 balls had temporarily seemed to have dragged Punjab Kings out of the woods on Sunday.The visitor eventually lost by four wickets against the Gujarat Titans, but Shedge, having waited for long to pounce on an opportunity, got much-needed gametime.“I wouldn’t say I was waiting. I was preparing. So, I look at it from that perspective that whenever I’m thrown into a situation, I should be ready for that. I’ve been speaking to Ricky [Ponting] sir a lot. I’ve been speaking to our captain a lot because I know him. The only thing they tell me is whenever the opportunity knocks, you have to be ready and take it with both hands. So that’s what I tried to do,” Shedge said.“It’s just sometimes some batters get good balls and they get out. But my only intention was to spend as much time as I could. And that, I think, made things easier as I progressed through the innings.”Despite being his side’s best batter and getting it to a competitive 163 on a two-paced wicket, Shedge took responsibility for the loss.“That 7.5-metre length was difficult to play. I think it was a bit two-paced because of the grass and the black soil. And I think at the end of the day, if we would have saved some runs here and there, we would have ended up winning the game. But I put my hand up. I think I should have stayed there because I was set. And if I would have let that ball go [from Kagiso Rabada], things would have been different,” Shedge said.Published on May 04, 2026 #Suryansh #Shedge #stayed #longer #set](https://i0.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/s7dydp/article70937916.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/VIS_2885.JPG?ssl=1 "Suryansh Shedge: Should have stayed longer because I was set Spending time in the middle was the mantra for Suryansh Shedge, whose 57 off 29 balls had temporarily seemed to have dragged Punjab Kings out of the woods on Sunday.The visitor eventually lost by four wickets against the Gujarat Titans, but Shedge, having waited for long to pounce on an opportunity, got much-needed gametime.“I wouldn’t say I was waiting. I was preparing. So, I look at it from that perspective that whenever I’m thrown into a situation, I should be ready for that. I’ve been speaking to Ricky [Ponting] sir a lot. I’ve been speaking to our captain a lot because I know him. The only thing they tell me is whenever the opportunity knocks, you have to be ready and take it with both hands. So that’s what I tried to do,” Shedge said.“It’s just sometimes some batters get good balls and they get out. But my only intention was to spend as much time as I could. And that, I think, made things easier as I progressed through the innings.”Despite being his side’s best batter and getting it to a competitive 163 on a two-paced wicket, Shedge took responsibility for the loss.“That 7.5-metre length was difficult to play. I think it was a bit two-paced because of the grass and the black soil. And I think at the end of the day, if we would have saved some runs here and there, we would have ended up winning the game. But I put my hand up. I think I should have stayed there because I was set. And if I would have let that ball go [from Kagiso Rabada], things would have been different,” Shedge said.Published on May 04, 2026 #Suryansh #Shedge #stayed #longer #set")
Post Comment