Several Bangladeshi cricketers embarked on their journey to Pakistan for the upcoming 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) right after the conclusion of the Eid-ul-Fitr break. Among them were players like Nahid Rana, who posted a farewell photo on Facebook, featuring teammates Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Parvez Hossain Emon before their flight.
While the majority of the Bangladesh squad will regather post-holidays to gear up for the upcoming home series against New Zealand, the six players heading to the PSL will have a different schedule. The team is scheduled to play three ODIs against New Zealand on April 17, 20, and 23, along with a three-match T20I series on April 27, 29, and May 2, starting with a white-ball camp on March 27.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to the PSL-contracted players – Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon (Lahore Qalandars), Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan Tamim (Peshawar Zalmi), and Rishad Hossain (Rawalpindi Pindiz), permitting them to participate in the league from March 26 to May 3.
Despite the ongoing fuel crisis in Pakistan, the PSL is set to continue as planned with significant limitations. The tournament will be conducted without spectators and restricted to only two venues, Lahore and Karachi, to mitigate travel and resource consumption, excluding cities like Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, and Peshawar from hosting matches.
The decision to restrict venues was taken after consultations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who emphasized reducing public movement due to fuel shortages stemming from regional instability. The PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, expressed regret for fans in affected cities, especially Peshawar, which was anticipating its debut as a host city. He also assured franchise owners of compensation for revenue losses due to the absence of ticket sales.
