COVID-19: PSL 6 franchises request PCB to host remainder of tournament in UAE

Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises have asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to stage the remaining matches of the current edition of the showpiece event in UAE instead of Karachi amid the fresh surge in coronavirus cases in the country.

PSL six was postponed after a string of COVID-19 cases were reported in March this year. The tournament will now resume on June 1 with the final scheduled for June 20.

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, all six teams have 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.

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.

After the date of resumption of PSL six was revealed, the teams participated in a replacement draft to fill in the gaps as many overseas cricketers had pulled out of the showpiece event.

Bangladesh star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, New Zealand opener Martin Guptill and Andre Russell are set to feature in the remaining matches of the PSL six for Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings, and Quetta Gladiators respectively as their names were submitted as replacement pick in an online session held with the franchise representatives.

PSL 6 foreign replacements:

Islamabad United: Usman Khawaja replaces Alex Hales, Janneman Malan replaces Lewis Gregory.

Karachi Kings: Martin Guptill replaces Colin Ingram, Thisara Perera replaces Mohammad Nabi, Najeebullah Zadran replaces Dan Christian, Litton Das replaces Joe Clarke

Lahore Qalandars: Shakib-al-Hasan replaces Rashid Khan, James Faulkner replaces David Wiese, Joe Burns replaces Samit Patel, Callum Fergusson replaces Tom Abell, Seekuge Prasana replaces Joe Denly

Multan Sultans: Mahmudullah Riyad replaces Chris Lynn, Rahmanullah Gurbaz replaces James Vince, George Linde replaces Adam Lyth, Obed McCoy replaces Carlos Brathwaite

Peshawar Zalmi: Fabian Allen replaces Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Rovman Powell replaces Liam Livingstone, Fidel Edwards replaces Saqib Mahmood

Quetta Gladiators: Andre Russell replaces Tom Banton