Lahore: Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday announced that the remainingmatches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) are expected to be held from May23 till June 20.
As per details, the PCB has completed its consultation with the franchisesregarding resuming PSL matches which were postponed on March 17 due tospike in novel coronavirus pandemic.
“PCB’s agreement for setting up a bio secure bubble via a UK-based companyis also in the final stages,” stated PCB.
The sources said that the days earmarked for the tournament will includethe mandatory quarantine period for the players.
Total 20 matches are now remaining including the playoffs and the finals ofthe tournament.
Earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on March 4 announced the postponementof the Pakistan Super League (PSL) amidst surge in coronavirus cases.
In a press statement, PCB stated that following a meeting with the teamowners and considering the health and wellbeing of all participants isparamount, the board has decided to postpone the Pakistan Super Leaguesixth edition with immediate effect.
The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition,which had started on 20 February, the statement added.
PSL management was considering the option of playing the entire tournamentin Karachi instead of moving for the final leg to Lahore as scheduled, fromMarch 10, it had decided to postpone the whole event.
PSL6 has seen instances gradually build before the dramatic events ofeventually forced the tournament to be suspended, with less than half ofits 34 games completed.
Here is a timeline of how events came to a head.
February 19
A day before the start of the sixth season, a player from Lahore Qalandarstested positive for Covid-19 and displayed symptoms.
February 19
One night before the opening match, Peshawar Zalmi coach Daren Sammy andcaptain Wahab Riaz breached the bio-secure bubble in place for all teams inKarachi hotel by meeting with their franchise owner Javed Afridi, who wasnot part of the bubble. The pair was told to go into a three-day quarantineand must return two negative tests before they can return to the team.
February 21
Read Top Stories
After Zalmi file an appeal with the PSL’s event committee for a concession,Sammy and Wahab were allowed to reintegrate with the squad, despite nothaving served the three-day quarantine period. The pair returned twonegative tests within 48 hours. The results of the second test arrived inthe morning, delaying Peshawar’s departure for the stadium. Riaz later leadhis side to a loss against Qalandars, with Sammy in the dugout.
March 1
The game between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators was first delayedand then postponed to the following day after Fawad Ahmed returns apositive test.
March 2
All players and officials underwent PCR tests. The rescheduled game movedahead and the PCB said it will not conduct testing every fourth day,instead of weekly as previously planned.
March 2
Two more players – including Tom Banton – and one support-staff memberreturned positive tests. The PCB held a meeting with franchises to reassurethem and reiterates its message that players must stick to the protocols.The board said it was happy that their bubble protocols are secure,although it does acknowledge “life in a bubble is very difficult andmanaging it is also very tough. This is happening in other different sportsin the world – NFL, NHL, Formula 1 or Australian Open – breaches do happenbut that doesn’t mean the bubble is weak or there are loopholes.”
March 3
Franchise owners and the league’s management held a meeting to chart a wayforward for the league after the positive tests. One option discussed wasto forego the Lahore leg and play out the entire season in Karachi. Atleast two franchises raised strong objections to that idea. The PCB alsoannounced that it will offer vaccines to all players and officials.
March 4
Three more players tested positive, and news came that Australian DanChristian is leaving the tournament due to the COVID-19 cases. Soon after,the PCB said it is postponing the league with immediate effect. The boardsaid the new cases were not from any of the teams who played in Wednesday’sdouble-header matches, which ruled out players from Karachi Kings, PeshawarZalmi, Multan Sultans or Quetta Gladiators.
March 11
Pakistan Super League 6, which was suspended in the wake of a spate ofCovid-19 cases among players and support staff, will resume once again inJune. The PCB and the various franchises got together for a (virtual)meeting that is understood to have taken an hour long and in the end allparties were happy to restart the season in Karachi.
Source:link
