LAHORE: The coronavirus-disrupted HBL-Pakistan Super League season finally has a restart date.

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday announced that the sixth season of the PSL will resume at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi from June 9 after it had ironed out logistical and operational challenges to finish its premier domestic Twenty20 league.

With the final set for June 24 according to the much-awaited schedule for the remaining 20 matches, the PCB moved forward the departure programme of the national team’s tour to England with the team now set to fly out on June 25, two days later than initially planned.

There will be six double-headers, including on June 21 when the qualifier and first eliminator will be played.

The PSL was suspended in March after 14 games, after seven individuals, including six players, tested positive for Covid-19 in a bio-secure bubble in Karachi due to gross violation of the SOPs committed by almost all the stakeholders.

Karachi’s National Stadium had previously been identified as a possible venue for the remaining games but the National Command Operation Centre did not give a green signal due to the rising cases of Covid-19 in the country.

It was moved to the United Arab Emirates but the strict quarantine rules in Abu Dhabi delayed the PSL’s resumption.

The PSL was earlier scheduled to resume on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, but there were problems with obtaining visas for production crew members.

The PCB has flown players and team officials of six franchises by chartered flights though some players, including Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfraz Ahmed, went to Abu Dhabi on commercial flights. Sarfraz was first not allowed to board a commercial flight from Karachi before getting another flight the next day.

“There was a consensus between the PCB and the franchises that it was imperative to complete the remaining matches in 2021 so that we have a clean 2022 for PSL [season] 7,” PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said in a statement.

“We have continued to take decisive actions in the face of ongoing pressures and major challenges outside of our control over the last 10 days.

“Our priority was always to deliver the complete tournament in Pakistan. However, due to extenuating circumstances we had to shift from that thinking for the remaining matches.

“Now, after overcoming all obstacles through due diligence and careful planning, I believe we have collectively achieved the desired objective that was set in March following the postponement.”

Wasim also thanked UAE and Pakis­tani governments, Abu Dhabi Sports Council and franchises for their support and help in making the restart possible.

“[The] ECB is pleased to once again host the HBL PSL matches in UAE as this is the place where HBL PSL was launched six years ago,” ECB vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni said in a statement.

“ECB is pleased to once again host the HBL PSL matches in UAE as this is the place where HBL PSL was launched six years ago. This time the matches will be hosted at our world-class facilities at Abu Dhabi.

“Though the global pandemic has presented its challenges, under the guidance of our Chairman His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mabarak Al Nahayan, ECB will continue to support PCB in delivering yet another memorable event.”

On the first day of the resumption of the season, Lahore Qalandars will take on Islamabad United in the 15th game of the tournament.

The PCB informed that both United and Qalandars had resumed training on Wednesday evening with the other four sides due to start training on Thursday.

“Players and player support personnel, who have completed the mandatory seven-day room isolation and returned three negative tests, are allowed to integrate with their sides and participate in training sessions,” the PCB press release said.

The double-headers will start at 1700 UAE time (1800PST) and 2200 UAE time (2300PST), respectively, while the single-headers will begin at 2000 UAE time (2100PST).

“To make this schedule work in the best interest of the event, players, commercial partners and franchises, the PCB, in consultation with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has agreed to delay the departure of the Pakistan men’s side’s players and players support personnel from Abu Dhabi to 25 June.

“The side will arrive on Manchester from where they will be transported to Derby for the mandatory room isolation period and training session. The side will move to Cardiff on 6 July where the first One-Day International will be played on 8 July.”

Pakistan are set to play three ODIs and three T20s in England in July.

Schedule:

June 9: Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United (2100PST).

June 10: Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings (1800PST); Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars (2300PST).

June 11: Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators (2100PST).

June 12: Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi (2100PST).

June 13: Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars (1800PST); Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi (2300PST).

June 14: Islamabad United v Karachi Kings (2100PST).

June 15: Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars (1800PST); Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings (2300PST).

June 16: Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators (2100PST).

June 17: Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi (1800PST); Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars (2300PST).

June 18: Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars (2100PST).

June 19: Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings (1800PST); Multan Sultans v Islamabad United (2300PST).

June 21: Qualifier — 1 v 2 (1800PST); Eliminator 1 — 3 v 4 (2100PST).

June 22: Eliminator 2 — Eliminator 1 winner v Qualifier loser (2100PST).

June 24: Final — Qualifier winner v Eliminator 2 winner (2100PST).

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2021