The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been relocated to the United Arab Emirates amid escalating border tensions between India and Pakistan. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the decision on Thursday, announcing that new dates and venues for the remaining matches of the tournament’s tenth season will be announced in due course.
The move follows heightened security concerns, particularly after the scheduled match between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi in Rawalpindi was postponed following an emergency meeting. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with overseas players, who reportedly expressed a strong preference for relocating the tournament out of Pakistan for safety reasons.
According to ESPNcricinfo, several foreign players have already departed for the UAE, where the rest of the competition will be held. The PCB is currently working to confirm appropriate venues and logistics, meaning a short delay before the next fixture is likely.
Originally, four of the remaining eight matches were to be played in Rawalpindi, with one in Multan and the final three hosted in Lahore. While Karachi was initially considered a backup option, the decision to shift the league out of the country altogether marks a significant development.
The UAE is no stranger to the PSL, having hosted the league during its early years. The competition began in the Emirates in 2016, and much of the first two seasons were played there. In 2021, part of the sixth season was also relocated to the UAE due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The rescheduling is expected to have broader implications for Pakistan’s international cricket calendar. Bangladesh are due to arrive in Pakistan just three days after the PSL final—originally scheduled for 18 May—for a five-match T20I series beginning on 25 May in Faisalabad. The PCB has stated that no decision has yet been made regarding the status of that series.