NCOC not in favor of staging remaining PSL matches in Pakistan
The board will make final decision regarding remaining matches of the league after Eid.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) is not in favor of staging remaining matches of the sixth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Pakistan amid surge of coronavirus case during third wave of pandemic.
Sources said that the NCOC is not in favor of holding the PSL matches in Pakistan, however, the board officials are trying to persuade the NCOC to hold the matches in Pakistan.
The NCOC has asked the PCB to stage remaining matches in UAE and the board will make final decision regarding remaining matches of the league after Eid.
The 2021 edition of the PSL was suspended after 14 games - played between February 20 and March 3 after which Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi are currently in first and second position with six points after playing five matches. While Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars also have six points after playing four matches and they are in the third and fourth position respectively.
On Tuesday, the PSL franchises had asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to stage the remaining matches of the sixth edition of event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
All six teams had sent a letter to PCB and the board is reviewing the current situation. For now, the franchises will assemble in Karachi by May 23 to start the mandatory seven-day isolation.
The PCB has approached the National Command Operations Center (NCOC) officials in response to the franchisee’s demand and the board will take final decision after consulting the NCOC and the government.
Last month, the Board of Governors (BoG) of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) met through a virtual conference call and the board received a presentation and an update on the report of the two-person fact-finding panel that was set-up by the PCB chairman to review the bio-security protocols, bylaws, and arrangements for the PSL.
The 2021 edition of the PSL was suspended after 14 games - played between February 20 and March 3, all in Karachi - following an outbreak of cases among players and support staff. After a date for resumption was finalised, the franchises took part in a replacement draft to plug holes in their line-ups because a number of overseas players would not be able to take part in the games on the new dates.
