PSL condensed after 14 foreign players pull out

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on Fri, Mar 13, 2020, 11:12 PM

As per the event regulations, the teams will be allowed player replacements, which will have to be approved by the Event Technical Committee. © AFP

The format and the schedule of the ongoing Pakistan Super League has been revised in the wake of the COVID-19 scare, reducing the number of playing days by 4 and number of matches from 34 to 33. The Pakistan Cricket Board, on Friday (March 13), rescheduled the remaining matches and replaced the playoffs with two semifinals.

The decision shortly followed the news that James Foster, the coach of Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United trainer Corey Rutgershave, along with 14 other foreign players, decided to not take any further part in the ongoing Pakistan Super League. The move came soon after the tournament moved to its Karachi leg in Sindh district, where there were 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 three days ago.

Among the players, Alex Hales (Karachi Kings), Rilee Rossouw and James Vince (Multan Sultans), Tom Banton, Carlos Brathwaite, Liam Dawson, Lewis Gregory and Liam Livingstone (Peshawar Zalmi), Jason Roy and Tymal Mills (Quetta Gladiators), Colin Munro, Dale Steyn, Dawid Malan and Luke Ronchi (Islamabad United), left the tournament.

According to the revised schedule, the two semi-finals be played as double-headers on March 17, with the afternoon game (start time 2:00 PM local time) set to be played between the first and the fourth side on the points table, while the second match (7:00 PM local time) will be between the second and the third side. The final will be played on March 18 and will start at 7pm. All these games will be played in Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.

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🚨 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨 Given the unprecedented situation today PCB has decided that teams will be allowed to bring in local players as replacements for foreign players. Going forward teams may also play up to 4 foreign players, with no bar on the minimum number.#HBLPSLV
13 Mar 2020

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"All these changes have been made with the consultation of the team owners," the PCB stated in a release. "The PCB is in close contact with the Punjab Government and, as is always the case, it will receive guidance from them in regard to allowing spectators to watch the last four matches at the Gaddafi Stadium. An announcement on this will be made in due course."

As per the event regulations, the teams will be allowed player replacements, which will have to be approved by the Event Technical Committee. "The PCB will continue to assess and monitor the situation and make decisions as appropriate in consultation with the team owners," another release stated. "No player has to date tested positive for Coronavirus."

Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive said on Friday (March 13), "Today, the PCB and the team owners, as part of their duty of care, have decided to give all the players the option to decide if they wish to return home. Ensuring that the players feel comfortable remains paramount to the PCB.

"As of now, it is important to emphasise and clarify that the main concern of many of the 10 players and a coach, who have chosen to return home, revolves around avoiding a potential situation where they might become stranded either due to flight cancellations or border closures in their own countries. The PCB will facilitate their safe return and will ensure the same for all of the players and support staff personnel who decide to withdraw from HBL PSL 2020.

"As stated previously, we will continue to assess and review the situation and will not hesitate to make what we believe are the right decisions for everyone involved."

Meanwhile, no discussion has taken place as yet with regards to the upcoming Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament and home international matches against Bangladesh.

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PSL condensed after 14 foreign players pull out

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