Group of PSL players and staff Denied Clearance To Board Flights To Abu Dhabi

Sarfaraz Ahmed, the former captain, was among 11 players, and officials denied approval to board commercial planes to Abu Dhabi, which will host the Pakistan Super League's final games next month.

PCB has been dealing with logistical challenges, including obtaining visas and authorization to land charter planes from Mumbai and Johannesburg in the run-up to the PSL, which will restart in Abu Dhabi after being postponed in March.

On their way to the PSL, 11 players and officials, including Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, were denied boarding on commercial aircraft from Lahore and Karachi to Abu Dhabi through Doha early Sunday.

Five members of the PSL contingent were permitted to travel, but the others were sent back to their lodgings, where they had been quarantined since May 24. A group of over 25 people from both locations was scheduled to fly to the UAE on a rented plane. But, in a last-minute move, the PCB decided to send them on commercial airliners, effectively nullifying the quarantine regulations in place.

Two charter planes from Karachi and Lahore arrived in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, carrying roughly 250 players, officials, PCB personnel, and official broadcasters and their crew.

The Board had also received clearance from UAE authorities to land charter flights bringing members of the broadcasting crew, players, and officials from Mumbai and Johannesburg.

The PCB had been waiting a long time for visas for members of the Indian and South African television crews, but that issue was resolved on Thursday. However, several people, including franchise support employees, are still waiting for UAE visas.

The league is temporarily set to begin on June 5, but the Board has yet to finalize the schedule. Pakistan will leave for England on June 22 for a limited-overs series. Therefore the window for hosting the tournament is restricted.

With only 14 matches finished, the PSL 6 was postponed in early March in Karachi because of increased COVID-19 cases among players and officials.