The Pakistan Super League 8 playoffs kick off today with a Qualifier between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans. However, both teams cancelled their training sessions on Tuesday due to political unrest in the city of Lahore.
On Thursday, Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi will face off in the first Eliminator, with the team that loses being eliminated from the competition. On Friday, the winner will face the loser of the Qualifier. The final of the mega event will take place on March 19.
However, the tournament’s playoffs are in jeopardy due to the situation surrounding the arrest of former Pakistan Prime Minister and cricketer Imran Khan. There is a lot of political confusion and chaos currently in Lahore surrounding the possible arrest of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
This entire political agenda has put the Pakistan Super League 2023 Qualifier 1 between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans in jeopardy. Because of the same political uncertainty, both of these teams cancelled their practice session just one day before the knockout match.
The cancellation occurred as a result of recent protests and rallies in the city, which disrupted daily life and raised concerns about the possibility of violence. The teams involved have not issued any official statements about the situation, but it is likely that local authorities advised them to avoid any unnecessary public activity.
In the meantime, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has called for an emergency meeting amidst all the confusion. The meeting will decide the fate of the playoffs of the tournament.
This is Pakistan’s finest showcase: Najam Sethi
Earlier, PCB management committee chairman Najam Sethi appealed to CM Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, on Tuesday to provide adequate security to teams and fans for the upcoming Pakistan Super League playoffs in Lahore. Sethi took to Twitter to emphasise the importance of protecting the brand image of Pakistan’s biggest event.
“Mohsin Naqvi, PSL 8 multi-million dollar final on 19 March will be played before 25k people at Gaddafi Stadium & 100m across the globe. This is Pakistan’s finest showcase. Punjab government must ensure failsafe security & smooth traffic flow to facilitate people’s access to the stadium,” he tweeted.
