The PSL, a T20 league which follows the IPL format, features six franchises and is scheduled to wind up in Lahore on May 18
People gather outside a street near the Rawalpindi cricket stadium after an alleged drone was shot down in Rawalpindi (Pic: AFP)
A Pakistan Super League (PSL) match was rescheduled, foreign players participating in the event weighed their options, while the PCB went into a huddle on whether to continue with it at all as the country's cricket schedule went haywire following India's military strikes across cities here.
The PSL, a T20 league which follows the IPL format, features six franchises and is scheduled to wind up in Lahore on May 18.
It was currently in its Rawalpindi leg but tonight's match between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi has been rescheduled for an unspecified later date by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
"The Pakistan Cricket Board, in consultation with all the stakeholders, has decided to reschedule tonight's HBL PSL X match between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings. The PCB will announce the revised date in due course," the cricket board said in a media statement.
The Indian drone and missile strikes, which have targetted among others Lahore and Rawalpindi so far, are in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.
Tonight's match aside, the league's future this season looks bleak at present with foreign players edgy about the security situation due to the military escalation between the two neighbours.
A report in 'The Telegraph' said English players, who have signed up for the league, are "split on whether to remain in Pakistan and play cricket".
"The England and Wales Cricket Board and Professional Cricketers Association held an emergency call on Wednesday morning to discuss the situation. At this stage players are not being advised to come home," it added.
"While most players are currently intending to remain in Pakistan, Telegraph Sport understands several are exploring their options and could return home."
Seven English players, James Vince, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Luke Wood and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, are playing in this year's PSL.
England coaches Ravi Bopara and Alexandra Hartley are also involved in the ongoing league.
Other high-profile stars competing in the PSL are David Warner (Karachi Kings), Jason Holder (Islamabad United), and Rassie van der Dussen (Islamabad United) among others.
PSL CEO Salman Naseer met the overseas players in Rawalpindi and assured them that there was no cause to worry as the PCB is closely monitoring the situation.
"Naturally the current scenario may have come under discussion.The players have been given a heavy security blanket by the Pakistan Army," PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said.
"There have been surgical strikes on both sides of the border but we don't expect that to affect the PSL. But if, God forbid, things do escalate, we will sit together to decide our next step," he added.
After Wednesday's missile strikes, India had insisted that 'Operation Sindoor' was "focused, measured and non-escalatory" and was only meant to destroy terrorists and their infrastructure.
However, the Pakistani military responded by attempting to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, according to Indian officials.
These attempts were neutralised by the Integrated Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (Grid and Air Defence systems) and in response, India destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore, according to its defence ministry.
(With PTI inputs)
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