The PCB announced on Thursday that the Pakistan Super League will resume on June 9 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi for the balance of the 2021 season.
The playoffs will follow the group stage’s 30 matches, with the final taking place on June 24. There will also be six double headers, including the Qualifier and Eliminator 1 games on June 21.
Only 15 matches of the tournament were feasible earlier this year, when a rash of positive COVID-19 cases within the bio-bubble forced the event to be postponed on March 4th. The event had been set to be played fully in Pakistan for the first time. After navigating all of the logistical hurdles, the competition was eventually moved to the United Arab Emirates.
The PCB ran into problems with their government after deciding to move the remaining matches to Abu Dhabi. Several members of the production team were from India, and because to the COVID-19 outbreak, visitors from that country are being denied admission to the UAE. However, after protracted negotiations, the Abu Dhabi government decided to let them in after the 16 members of the crew had finished their isolation in Dubai and were ready to go to Abu Dhabi.
On Wednesday, those who travelled through charter aircraft from Pakistan (including Bangladesh and Sri Lankan players) finished their seven-day isolation period. The first training session between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars was held.
The teams will rehearse from June 3 to 8, with Islamabad United taking on Lahore Qalandars in the first encounter after the restart. The dates for the double headers are June 10, 13, 15, 17, 19, and 21.
“There was an agreement between the PCB and the franchises that it was necessary to finish the remaining matches in 2021 so that we had a clean 2022 for HBL PSL 7,” PCB head Wasim Khan said. Now, I feel we have jointly achieved the intended aim that was established in March following the postponement, after overcoming all barriers via dedication and thorough preparation.
“I can guarantee all of the fans that delivering the whole event in Pakistan has always been our top goal.” However, owing to unforeseen circumstances, we were forced to change our minds for the remaining matches.”
TEAM STANDINGS
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Points | NNR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karachi Kings | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0.697 |
| Peshawar Zalmi | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0.273 |
| Islamabad United | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.202 |
| Lahore Qalandars | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.085 |
| Multan Sultans | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | -0.244 |
| Quetta Gladiators | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | -0.936 |