PCB allows foreign players to leave PSL 2020 amid coronavirus fears
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) offered all foreign players playing in Pakistan Super League (PSL) to return because of coronavirus pandemic.
The PCB, on Friday, formally contacted the owners of all the teams and informed them about the following points.
PSL will continue as per schedule and match between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi will be held tonight in Karachi. The match will be played in closed doors where only specific PCB-approved individuals are allowed to attend.
According to PCB and PSL management, foreign players who want to return to their country are allowed to do so. PCB says the law will allow all teams to select alternative players, which will be approved by the event technical committee.
PCB will continue to monitor the situation regularly and will be in touch with the owners of all the teams. Luckily, so far none of the player has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Coronavirus: PSL matches in trouble
According to the PCB, Peshawar Zalmi’s Tom Banton, Liam Livingstone, Lewis Gregory, Liam Dawson and Carlos Brathwaite, as well as Multan Sultans’ James Vince and Rilee Rossouw, as well as Karachi Kings’ Alex Hales, and Jason Roy and Tymal Mills from Quetta Gladiators, are among the players to confirm their departures.
Meanwhile, the Quetta Gladiators team management said that none of the Gladiators players have expressed any desire to return home. Currently, the situation at the camp is normal; if the situation changes later, they will be informed.
According to Zalmi management, foreign players can leave if they wish to return to their homeland.
Chief executive Officer PCB
Wasim Khan, CEO PCB, said the situation was constantly changing due to coronavirus which needs to be monitored constantly. He said that all the players are allowed to leave the league confidence of the players is the most important.
“As of now, it is important to emphasize and clarify that the main concern of many of the 10 players and a coach, who have chosen to return home, revolves around avoiding a potential situation where they might become stranded either due to flight cancellations or border closures in their own countries,” he added. PCB will ensure safe return of all these players, same protocol will be adopted for other players, said Khan.
It may be recalled that due to coronavirus, the remaining PSL matches in Karachi have also been announced without spectators.
