Pakistan's cricket league PSL moves behind closed doors, scraps opening ceremony amid fuel crisis

The initial matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be played behind closed doors in Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday, ​citing a ⁠fuel shortage caused by the conflict in ‌the Middle East.

The franchise-based ‌Twenty20 league, set to kick off on Thursday, also cancelled its opening ceremony in Lahore as it scaled back ‌from six venues to two.

"Fans will be able to receive ⁠refunds for tickets and we apologise to them for the inconvenience... we pray that the situation in the region returns to normal soon," Naqvi, who is also Pakistan's interior minister, told a press conference in Lahore.

Naqvi said the decision was ​taken after a meeting with the league's franchises.

"The Prime Minister (Shahbaz Sharif) has requested restricted movements of people because of the fuel crisis so we have decided that the PSL would continue as per the original schedule but without crowds. We closed schools and ⁠instituted work from home and increased the number of Eid holidays. We don't know how long this war will last," Naqvi said.

To stop fans travelling, the eight-team league has also been reduced to two venues, and not the original six, meaning Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan and Peshawar miss out.

"All PSL matches will now take place in Lahore and Karachi and we hope the league could be held with crowds but that would be contingent on the crisis in Iran ending," said Naqvi.

The PSL began in 2016 on neutral grounds in the United Arab Emirates due to safety fears in Pakistan. The 11th edition of PSL will run until May 3.

"I feel for the Peshawar crowds who were due to watch a match for the first time," said Naqvi.

"But ​we ‌can't ask people to restrict their movements and then ‌have 30,000 people in stadiums every day. We decided that as long as this crisis is ongoing, we will not have ‌crowds at ‌matches."

Naqvi said the league would ⁠streamline its operations to minimise team movement.

"We don’t ‌know how long the current situation will persist, but hosting the PSL is essential. It's an ⁠international brand, and foreign players are involved... if ​we had postponed the PSL, there would be no window later to hold it," he added.

Pakistan depends on oil and gas from the Gulf and the government has in recent weeks introduced a series of fuel-saving measures over fears of a drop in supply.

Agencies