LAHORE: In an attempt to control the damage after the postponement of the HBL Pakistan Super League due to Covid-19 cases detected during the Karachi leg of the event amid reported breaches of SOPs, the management committee of PSL on Friday recommended windows of May-June and September to hold the remaining 20 matches of the league.

The PCB was forced on Thursday to indefinitely postpone the PSL 6 midway after seven Covid-19 positive cases among players and officials of the league were reported during the Karachi leg of the event that started on Feb 20 at the National Stadium. After the end of the matches in Karachi on March 7, the Lahore leg of the league was scheduled to start on March 10.

The emergence of the virus cases raised health safety fears among the players, particularly foreign players, and crew of the broadcasters. In order to avoid any further mess, the PCB decided to postpone it.

It is learnt that realising the blunder had been committed by the PCB by taking the responsibility of implementing the Covid-19 SOPs through its own medical team, the committee suggested outsourcing this job to an expert firm, which would independently plan and execute it with full responsibility.

Moreover, the meeting chaired by PCB chief executive Wasim Khan, also recommended three windows available during May-June and September this year for holding the remaining 20 matches of PSL 6.

The PCB, it is estimated, will need around 17 to 20 days to organise the remaining games of the league — 12 days for the matches and remaining days for the quarantine period.

It is also suggested that the matches will be staged only in one city, keeping in view the weather of the host city. For this purpose, any city among three major cricket centres of the country — Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi — can be considered.

The management committee’s suggestions will be forwarded to PCB chairman Ehsan Mani and then a meeting with the franchises will be held to give the plan final shape.

Meanwhile, the committee hoped that no legal issues with the broadcasters or sponsors will arise in case of an immediate announcement of fresh dates for the remaining PSL 6 games.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2021