PAKISTAN CRICKET BOARD IS RISKING LIVES, SAYS FORMER PAK PLAYER MIANDAD

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad on Tuesday slammed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for deciding to host the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the UAE.

The PCB and the six franchise owners met on Friday virtually to discuss the remaining 20 matches of the PSL. The group had a 360-degree discussion, which also considered feedback from the National Command and Operation Centre. UAE emerged as a preferred venue for the remaining 20 matches during the conference. “This is not the time to play cricket, it is the time to save lives. In these times of crisis, we should be more focused on saving lives rather than playing cricket. The whole world has been affected by the coronavirus. India, where the World Cup was supposed to take place, is also severely affected by the epidemic,” Miandad told Cricket Pakistan.

“My personal view is that this is not the right time to be playing cricket. PCB’s attempts of holding the remaining matches of the PSL season six in the UAE is not the right move. They are risking the lives of several individuals for their own financial gains. If it was in my hands, I would not take the big risk of organising the remaining PSL matches. If they hold this event and face problems, then who will be responsible,” he added.

According to PCB, as the holiday period has already started in both the countries and the Pakistan men’s national cricket team has to depart for the United Kingdom on June 23, the PCB will use this time to work with the Emirates Cricket Board to check if the event can be successfully delivered within the available time.

During the holiday period, the PCB will work on a revised tournament schedule, while it will liaise with the ECB in relation to finalising playing and training facilities, hotel bookings, ground transportation, and visitors’ visas.

According to the board, PCB will carry out a detailed financial and risk assessment as well as cost analysis before reporting back to the franchises, who will then review before a decision on the event venue is confirmed.

PSL six was postponed after a string of COVID-19 cases were reported in March this year. The tournament will now resume in June with the final scheduled for June 20.