PSL 2025 Relocated to Dubai:
Tensions between India and Pakistan are now echoing on the cricket field. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has left its home ground and found refuge in Dubai. The situation is so dire that Thursday’s match (May 9) between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings has been delayed.
The match was supposed to take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, which was damaged due to India's drone strike yesterday. As a result, the rest of the league matches will now be played in Dubai.
Reports suggest that foreign players had already departed from Pakistan to the UAE, where the remaining games will take place. It may take several days before the next match is held as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is determining the venues. Initially, the remaining four matches were planned for Rawalpindi, one in Multan, and the last three in Lahore.
Earlier, it was updated on May 8 that the remaining PSL matches have been moved to Karachi. This decision was finalized in an emergency meeting of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, involving team owners and law enforcement representatives.
PSL Has Changed Venue Before:
The PSL, now in its 10th season, began in Dubai in 2016 where the entire season was played. The first two seasons took place entirely in Dubai; however, the 2017 PSL final was held in Lahore, Pakistan. Parts of the sixth season in 2021 were also played in the UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Delays Could Impact Pakistan's Schedule:
Any delays in the PSL may impact Pakistan’s international commitments. Bangladesh was scheduled to arrive in Pakistan three days after the PSL final, originally set for May 18, to start the first T20 match on May 25 in Faisalabad. The PCB has informed Cricinfo that no concrete decision has been taken regarding the series.
PSL and IPL Concurrently Hosted:
This year, the Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League are occurring almost simultaneously. PSL 2025 commenced on April 11, with the final on May 18. On the other hand, IPL started on March 22, culminating on May 25.
The mega auction of IPL 2025 was followed by the PSL draft, featuring unsold players from the IPL auction such as David Warner, Daryl Mitchell, Jason Holder, Rassie van der Dussen, and Kane Williamson, who transitioned to PSL.
Drone Strike on Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium:
A retaliatory drone strike by India targeted the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium against Pakistan. A PSL match was scheduled here on the night of May 8 at 8 PM, featuring Peshawar and Karachi teams facing off.
Remember that on April 22, a terrorist attack took place in Basran Valley, Pahalgam, resulting in the death of 26 tourists. In retaliation, the Indian Army carried out 'Operation Sindoor' on May 6-7, targeting several terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, neutralizing many terrorists.
Subsequently, on Thursday, Pakistani forces attempted to target Indian border towns, but all attacks were thwarted by the Indian military. In response, India conducted strikes in several Pakistani cities, significantly damaging Karachi's port, and shot down two Pakistani JF-17 and one F-16 fighter jets, along with destroying a Pakistani AWACS aircraft in Punjab, Pakistan.
