It marks a significant overnight turnaround after prospects for the future of the sixth season had begun to look gloomy.
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The remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 are expected to be played in Abu Dhabi in June. This is certainly a major development considering the slim hopes initially for the sixth season of the Pakistan-based T20 league, being held this year. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had decided to defer the decision on the ultimate plan with regard to the edition by 24 hours on Wednesday. This was directly impacted by the failure to obtain some critical exemptions from the Abu Dhabi government. However, the final decision was ultimately announced less than 24 hours later with the PCB confirming that they had secured the approvals being sought.
This information is according to a report from Cricinfo, which further adds that the PSL management is interacting with the franchises for finalising departure plans. This will certainly be a surprise for the teams who had been informed about the necessity to delay departure plans from Pakistan.
The exemptions sought by PCB included providing provisions for officials, broadcast and production staff as well as players who were flying in from India and South Africa. UAE has imposed restrictions with regard to travelling for visitors from India and South Africa, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, an agreement has now been reached. Those flying in from those two countries will have to quarantine for 10 days in a separate hotel.
“We are delighted with this development as the remaining hurdles in the staging of the remaining HBL PSL 6 matches in Abu Dhabi have been overcome and all systems are now good to go,” said Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive in a statement.
“We are grateful to the UAE government, National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, Emirates Cricket Board and Abu Dhabi Sports Council for their support and patronage in ensuring all final obstacles were removed, which has firmly put us in a position to complete our marquee event. The PCB, in consultation with the team owners, will now work at pace to finalise all event-related arrangements, details of which will be shared in due course,” he added.
It will be interesting to note how the league progresses following this development.
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