By Staff Reporter
LAHORE: The 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League will go ahead next week but without spectators and restricted to just two cities, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, announced on Sunday, as the government intensifies measures to conserve fuel in the wake of the global crisis triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The tournament, featuring eight teams and 44 matches, is due to begin on 26 March. Originally scheduled across six venues – Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar and Faisalabad – it will now be confined to Lahore and Karachi, with the opening ceremony also cancelled to minimise costs.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Naqvi said the board had consulted the government and security agencies before taking “a few difficult decisions”. The PSL would proceed as scheduled, he said, but adjustments were unavoidable. “On one hand, 25,000 to 30,000 people will be gathering at stadiums and on the other hand, we are telling people to restrict their movement,” he said. “So, until this crisis ends, we will not allow crowds in the stadiums.” The decision to bar fans was painful but necessary, Naqvi added.
The PCB will cover the loss of gate money for the franchises, while anyone who bought tickets will receive refunds within 72 hours. He offered a personal apology to supporters in Peshawar, where matches had been planned. “I had made a promise, but unfortunately, because of the situation, we could not go ahead,” he said.
Players will begin arriving in Pakistan today and tomorrow, Naqvi confirmed. The tournament could not be postponed, he explained, because there was no later window available in the calendar. “We must not go forward with a limited mindset,” he said. Although the PCB held technical authority over the changes, all franchises had been consulted and brought into confidence.
In a formal press release issued later, the board said the revised plan had been drawn up “in consultation with the government of Pakistan, and in line with the officially announced national austerity and resource conservation measures”. The number of venues had been cut from six to two “to support the efficient use of energy and public resources in light of the prevailing regional geopolitical situation”.
Matches will initially be held without spectators “under the revised government standard operating procedures”, the statement continued. “This operational adjustment has been made purely in support of the broader national conservation effort and to ensure that the tournament is conducted in the most efficient and responsible manner.”
The board expressed confidence that the passion of its audience, combined with innovation in coverage, would make this edition “one of the most widely watched in its history”. Under the new schedule, the 44 matches will be staged over 39 days, with 22 games each in Lahore and Karachi. The opening fixture between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Lahore Qalandars remains unchanged. Lahore will also host the two eliminators and the final, while Karachi will stage the qualifier.
The government announced its austerity package two weeks ago after hiking petroleum prices earlier in the month. Measures include a 50% reduction in fuel allowances for official vehicles, a four-day working week for much of the public sector, and arrangements for half of government staff to work from home, with exemptions only for essential services.
On Thursday the authorities appealed to citizens to adopt fuel-conservation practices to avert potential supply problems. The following day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif rejected calls for further price increases but instructed ministries to ensure any relief was targeted only at those who most needed it.
For a competition that has thrived on packed stadiums and electric atmospheres since its launch, the changes mark a sharp departure. Yet with national priorities overriding sporting spectacle, the PCB has chosen to press ahead in the only way it believes is now possible.
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