PSL 2021: Pakistan's T20 League postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19 cases

PSL 2021 has been postponed indefintely due to numerous positive cases of COVID-19 in the last few days. Only 14 games were completed in the 34-match tournament.

Shaheen Afridi celebrates a wicket in PSL 2021 (Photo: PCB)

Following a meeting between PSL 2021 organising committee and the team owners and management on Thursday (March 4), the ongoing season of PSL 2021 has been postponed indefinitely with immediate effect due to the outbreak of Covid-19 positive cases in the last few days.

"The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition, which had started on 20 February," an official release from the PCB stated.

“The PCB, as an immediate step, will focus on the safe and secure passage of all participants, and arrange repeat PCR tests, vaccines and isolation facilities to the six participating sides,” the release from PCB added. 

The organising committee called for a meeting a day after three positive cases were reported, including Quetta Gladiators batsman Tom Baton and Karachi Kings fielding coach Kamran Khan. This comes within days of Quetta Gladiators’ Pakistan-born Australian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed testing positive, which led to the postponement of a league fixture by a day. 

Only 14 games were completed in the 34-match tournament. 

PCB Director of Media Sami-ul Hasan Burney on Tuesday said that two foreign players and one member of the support staff had tested positive for the virus. Burney had not named the two players and the support staff member. 

PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan, Director-Commercial Babar Hamid, will hold a media conference at the National Stadium later in the day to provide further updates, the statement said. 

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said it had secured a small allocation of the vaccine after highlighting the national team`s international commitments and the reputation of the popular PSL during talks with federal and provincial governments.

"While we live in these challenging times, the vaccine has been sourced to provide an added level of protection and comfort for players and all personnel inside the bubble," PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said in a statement.