The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) is set to reject their plea to stage the remaining Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches in the United Arab Emirates. As per sources close to the ECB, the board is “unlikely to approve” PCB’s bid even when Pakistan’s cricket governing body has already announced plans to move the tournament to UAE venues. The main cause given for this likely rejection centers around security fears arising due to increasing tensions between India and Pakistan.
The ECB has expressed concerns about being seen to take sides in the continuing regional war. Sources state that the timing of the PSL might present the UAE cricket authorities as allies of Pakistan, a role which the latter are as keenly trying to avoid.
“The Emirates Cricket Board has developed strong ties with the BCCI in the past few years,” an insider told cricketnext.com. This association includes hosting the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, several Indian Premier League seasons, and future India matches in the ICC Championship Trophy 2025.
The PCB previously announced that the last eight PSL fixtures, which were earlier set to be played in Rawalpindi, Multan, and Lahore, would be rescheduled with the move to the UAE. This decision came after a Peshawar Zalmi vs Karachi Kings match was cancelled at Rawalpindi Stadium due to security fears. The development forces the PCB into a difficult position about the completion of its premier T20 tournament, with other hosting avenues likely to be investigated.
