PSL 2021: Good news for Pakistan cricket fans. Pakistan Super League will resume on June 1 with Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United match, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the BoG announced after a virtual meeting. The final will be played on June 20 after the T20 league was postponed following a COVID-19 outbreak in the PSL’s bio-bubble with multiple cricketers testing positive for the novel Coronavirus.
The members were informed that a mandatory seven-day quarantine period for all participants will commence from May 22 in one hotel and following three days of training sessions, PSL matches will resume on June 1 with the final scheduled for June 20. All the matches will be played at the National Stadium, Karachi. For doubleheaders, the first match will begin at 5 PM PST while the second match will be played from 8 PM.
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 Pakistan Super League.
The presentation was given in order to help them make recommendations on how to better ensure the implementation of a bio-secure environment for future events. The BoG discussed and debated the panel’s findings in detail. They expressed their disappointment at the failures that were highlighted in the report and advised remedial actions needed to be taken. The BoG also endorsed all recommendations of the fact-finding panel, including robust and stringent implementation of the protocols, as well as maintaining a zero-tolerance approach towards all those who breach the Covid-19 SOPs, which are put in place for safeguarding the health and safety of all participants.
The BoG was informed that as part of the strategy to ensure the PSL 6 resumed and completed in a safe and secure environment, the PCB was in the final stages of appointing a globally recognised safety management company that specialises in providing Covid-safe technology solutions, bio-secure monitoring & management, as well as response and reaction to positive tests.
The BoG also congratulated the Pakistan men’s national and the blind cricket teams on their recent successes. The national side defeated South Africa by 2-1 to rise to second in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League points table, while the blind team won the three-nation tournament in Dhaka last week.
The BoG also noted with satisfaction plans put in place to prepare sides for this year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand and next year’s ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. The Pakistan U19 camp concluded yesterday in Lahore following the postponement of the Bangladesh tour due to the rise in Covid-19 cases, a couple of women’s international tours in the build-up to the qualifiers are being discussed and finalised that will contribute further in the side’s preparations for the 10-team qualifier in New Zealand. The women’s side is presently in Karachi for a high-performance camp.
PSL 2021 Schedule: Pakistan Super League
June 1: Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United (N)
June 2: Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings (N)
June 3: Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators (N)
June 4: Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars (N)
June 5: Islamabad United v Karachi Kings (D);
June 5: Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators (N)
June 6: Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings (N)
June 7: Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars (N)
June 8: Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi (N)
June 9: Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars (N)
June 10: Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings (N)
June 11: Multan Sultans v Islamabad United (N)
June 12: Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi (D);
June 12: Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars (N)
June 13: Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi (N)
June 14: Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars (N)
June 16: Qualifier (1 v 2) (N)
June 17: Eliminator 1 (3 v 4) (N)
June 18: Eliminator 2 (loser Qualifier v winner Eliminator 1) (N)
June 20: Final (N)
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