“Lo debemos”: BCC

Pakistan Cricket Board’s request to the United Arab Emirates to host the remainder of PSL 10 was declined, forcing the league to be suspended. The request was made amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan which saw several areas in the latter being targeted by the former via missile and drone strikes. Now, it has come to light that India was the reason behind UAE turning down the PCB’s request to host PSL 10.

BCCI, Jay Shah urged UAE to not host PSL 10

As per Cricbuzz, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) decided to decline PCB’s request following the intervention of BCCI administrators. An ECB official said that the country’s cricket board owed it to the BCCI and ICC chairman Jay Shah.

“We owe it to the BCCI and Jay Bhai,” an ECB official told Cricbuzz.

The report adds that after initially agreeing to the PCB’s proposal to host PSL, the ECB rejected the request to use the Dubai International Stadium. Subsequently, it quoted an exorbitant amount to the PCB for using the stadium, something that was way beyond what Pakistan could afford.

Only on May 8, PCB announced that the remaining matches of the PSL 2025 would be played in the UAE. It came after PCB postponed the Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi match in Rawalpindi on May 8. However, within 16 hours, PCB has made a U-turn.

“The PCB and its players stand resolutely in solidarity with the families of the martyrs and our security personnel defending the nation. Cricket, while being a unifying force and a source of joy, must take a respectful pause when the country is facing such callous opposition. We, at the PCB, also have sincere regard for the mental well-being of participating players and the sentiments of our foreign players, and we respect the concerns of their families who want to see them back home,” PCB said in a statement.