Uncertainty looms over PSL 7 after blaze at NSK, COVID-19 rise
The organisation of PSL 7 was hit by looming uncertainty after the recent developments of COVID-19 rise and a fire broke out at NSK.
KARACHI: The organisation of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 7 was hit by looming uncertainty after the recent developments of a rising trend of COVID-19 cases and a fire broke out at National Stadium Karachi (NSK) during welding operations just a day ahead of its inaugural match.
A fire broke out at NSK during welding operations on Wednesday night that damaged a commentary box for PSL 7 matches and also partially damaged the boundary SMD cable before the fire was doused by the firefighters.
It is pertinent to mention here that PSL 2022 will start with 15 matches over 12 days in Karachi from Thursday (tomorrow).
A news outlet Times of Karachi shared a video of the National Stadium Karachi after the blaze incident.
Moreover, three prominent names had contracted COVID-19 including Karachi Kings’s President Wasim Akram and two Peshawar Zalmi’s players Kamran Akmal and Arshad Iqbal.
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Wasim Akram and the players of the PSL franchise have quarantined themselves after testing Covid positive.
In another development, Shahid Afridi from Quetta Gladiators will not be able to play PSL 7 matches following back pain. A sports journalist from ARY News, Shoaib Jatt said on Twitter that Shahid Afridi missed the training session today and he will probably miss a few early matches of PSL.
Most likely Shahid Afridi will miss few early matches of PSL https://t.co/ID77fygu9V
— Shoaib Jatt (@Shoaib_Jatt) January 26, 2022
On the other hand, Kamran Akmal and Arshad Iqbal have been replaced by Imam-ul-Haq and Ammad Butt for the PSL matches.
According to Geo News, Imam-ul-Haq was not part of the initial 15 players announced for the reserved pool but came in along with Omair Bin Yousuf after Salman Ali Agha and Musadiq Ahmed were unavailable to join the pool.
While the PCB has not announced the reasons for these two players’ unavailability from the reserves pool. It added that Musadiq wasn’t in Pakistan while Salman was unavailable due to medical reasons.
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The PCB further added that each side will be allowed a maximum of 20 players at any given time and the player replaced will be allowed to rejoin the side but will require the event technical committee’s approval, according to the report.
Earlier on January 24, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had confirmed that a minimum of 13 Covid-negative players in a squad will be sufficient for a game at PSL 2022 to go ahead.
As per the Covid-specific playing conditions amended by the league, if a team loses players due to players returning positive results on Covid tests, the franchise can seek replacement players from a reserve pool subject to the Technical Committee’s approval.
The board also confirmed that a team’s playing line-up must comprise a minimum of seven and a maximum of eight local players including an emerging player, Cricbuzz reported.
However, if a team is affected by Covid to the extent that it is impossible for it to create a playing 11 in accordance with the relevant requirements, the requirements will stand waived to the necessary extent.
The first match of PSL 7 will be played between the defending champion Multan Sultans and 2020 champion Karachi Kings tomorrow at the National Stadium Karachi at 7:00 pm.
