PSL 6: Delay in remaining matches in Abu Dhabi, helplessness or mismanagement of Pakistan Cricket Board?
When the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selected Abu Dhabi to host the postponed 20 matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), no one would have thought that the matter would become so complicated. Pakistan Super League 6 started in Karachi on February 20 but had to be postponed on March 4 when the code tests of some players of the participating teams came back positive. By that time, 14 matches of the league had been played.
However, the PCB said it had received "full approval" to hold the rest of the match in Abu Dhabi. And now the latest situation is that the PCB has not yet been able to get out of the difficulties related to the travel documents of the players and officials participating in the PSL to announce the schedule of the PSL. Meanwhile, the rest of the IPL matches in the UAE have been announced to be held in September and October.
When the PCB turned to Abu Dhabi for PSL matches, it thought that the league would be terminated from June 1 or 2 to June 20 in any case as the Pakistani cricket team He is scheduled to leave for England soon after. But the schedule has not been finalized yet.
Sarfraz Ahmed's visa issue
The most shocking thing in all this situation is that when Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfraz Ahmed arrived at Karachi airport on Sunday morning, he was not allowed to leave for Abu Dhabi and had to return to the hotel.
It is noteworthy that the other five people present with Sarfraz Ahmed got the necessary permission to travel at the last minute. According to local media reports, this was followed by an emotional statement from Quetta Gladiators' owner Nadeem Omar in which he said that the team would not have participated in the PSL without Sarfraz.
But then it came to light that the problem in Sarfraz Ahmed's visa was due to his old residence and now his visa has been issued. On the other hand, ten people arriving at Lahore airport could not be allowed to leave. They included cricketers Umar Amin, Zeeshan Ashraf, and Zaid Alam.
The Pakistan Cricket Board's announcement on Sunday night came as a shock to fans that it has now decided to send 13 players and officials, including Sarfraz Ahmed, to their homes in Karachi and Lahore. The reason for this decision is said to be further delay in the issuance of visas and it has been said that as soon as their visas are issued, they will undergo a PCR test and be sent to Abu Dhabi on the first available commercial flight.
The PCB used to say that it has got the visas of all the players and officials and now it says that the issuance of visas has been further delayed. The Pakistan Super League has been in the headlines for the past two weeks due to conflicting news and uncertainty.
The players and officials from Pakistan were scheduled to leave for Abu Dhabi on May 22, but the Pakistan Cricket Board had informed the franchisees on May 19 that it had asked the Abu Dhabi authorities to release the staff of broadcasters from South Africa and India to Abu Dhabi. I have sought permission to allow entry and exemption of foreign cricketers from vaccination and in this regard he will wait 24 hours.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had announced on May 20 that all matters had been settled but when it came time for chartered flights, it was said that visas had not been issued and chartered flights could not depart on May 26.
This uncertainty can be gauged from the fact that the players and officials were supposed to be quarantined at hotels in Karachi and Lahore but were stopped. In all these circumstances, sometimes saying that matters have been settled and sometimes talking about the delay in issuance of visas, does it show the helplessness of the top officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board before the Abu Dhabi government or their own mismanagement?
Eight Pakistan Cricket Board officials are already in Abu Dhabi before Eid. He has been in touch with the Abu Dhabi government and the UAE Cricket Board since the Eid holidays, but the officials have not been able to resolve the issue, and daily reports of visas failing and delays are making headlines.
The most important aspect is that Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ehsan Mani is missing from the scene.
His term expires in September this year, while Chief Executive Wasim Khan also arrived in Abu Dhabi several days after handling the situation from a "work from home".
Some quarters believe that these issues have not been resolved or have been delayed due to lack of communication among senior PCB officials." You could call it unprofessional and mismanaged," said senior journalist Abdul Majid Bhatti. "Every day a new argument is being made ... An attempt has been made to hold the Pakistan Super League in a hurry. Probably a factor as to why they're doing so poorly.
Various avenues are being considered by the PCB
A spokesman for the Pakistan Cricket Board said that the isolation in Pakistan had nothing to do with the isolation in the United Arab Emirates.
"The players here were isolated so that no one with a positive code would board the plane. As far as the UAE is concerned, according to its rules and regulations, every person, whether on a commercial flight or a chartered flight, will have to spend seven days in quarantine.
A Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman said the impression that sending players home had caused a bio-secure bubble burst.
"Now these players are going to Abu Dhabi on a commercial flight, so they have to undergo a PCR test forty-eight hours before the flight and they will be allowed to board the plane only in case of a negative report."
The majority of the players and officials participating in the Pakistan Super League have reached Abu Dhabi. Besides, the staff of the broadcasters have also reached Abu Dhabi after getting permission to enter. But the wait is for the announcement of the schedule and most importantly, various options are being considered as an attempt to start the league late but to complete it on time.
These include a reduction in the number of matches and suggestions such as semi-finals, finals.