All three Pakistan Super League 2019 matches, which were to be held in Lahore, have been shifted to Karachi in the wake of recent tensions between Pakistan and India, which had led to the closure to much of Pakistan’s airspace.
According to the ESPNcricinfo, revised schedule is as followed:
Saturday, 9 March - Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United (7pm PST)
Sunday, 10 March - Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators (7pm PST)
Monday, 11 March - Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans (2pm PST); Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi (7pm PST)
Wednesday, 13 March - Qualifier (1 v 2; 7pm PST)
Thursday, 14 March - Eliminator 1 (3 v 4; 7pm PST)
Friday, 15 March - Eliminator 2 (7pm PST)
Sunday, 17 March - Final (7pm PST)
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ehsan Mani, in a statement, said: "This has been a difficult and tough decision, which has been taken following discussion and consultation with all the franchisees and service providers to ensure certainty and clarity on the event as well as delivery of the remaining matches as per the PCB's own very high standards.”
"Due to the recent and prevailing uncertainty, we felt it critical to make a decisive decision at this juncture. Ensuring all matches are played in Pakistan falls in line with our vision to take all eight matches of the HBL PSL 2019 matches to the people of Pakistan. We had considered the option of shifting the dates of the eight matches in Pakistan, but because the Pakistan cricket team has to leave for the UAE on 19 March for the ODI series against Australia, this was not possible. We also looked at swapping matches between Lahore and Karachi, but paucity of time would have rendered this option unworkable.
"It is unfortunate that the headquarters of Pakistan cricket will be unable to host the PSL matches in 2019 due to no fault of the PCB, but this is a small sacrifice for a bigger and larger national cause."
According to the ESPNcricinfo, revised schedule is as followed:
Saturday, 9 March - Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United (7pm PST)
Sunday, 10 March - Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators (7pm PST)
Monday, 11 March - Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans (2pm PST); Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi (7pm PST)
Wednesday, 13 March - Qualifier (1 v 2; 7pm PST)
Thursday, 14 March - Eliminator 1 (3 v 4; 7pm PST)
Friday, 15 March - Eliminator 2 (7pm PST)
Sunday, 17 March - Final (7pm PST)
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ehsan Mani, in a statement, said: "This has been a difficult and tough decision, which has been taken following discussion and consultation with all the franchisees and service providers to ensure certainty and clarity on the event as well as delivery of the remaining matches as per the PCB's own very high standards.”
"Due to the recent and prevailing uncertainty, we felt it critical to make a decisive decision at this juncture. Ensuring all matches are played in Pakistan falls in line with our vision to take all eight matches of the HBL PSL 2019 matches to the people of Pakistan. We had considered the option of shifting the dates of the eight matches in Pakistan, but because the Pakistan cricket team has to leave for the UAE on 19 March for the ODI series against Australia, this was not possible. We also looked at swapping matches between Lahore and Karachi, but paucity of time would have rendered this option unworkable.
"It is unfortunate that the headquarters of Pakistan cricket will be unable to host the PSL matches in 2019 due to no fault of the PCB, but this is a small sacrifice for a bigger and larger national cause."