PSL 2026 in jeopardy amid West Asia war? Mohsin Naqvi’s PCB makes things crystal clear
Published - 20 Mar 2026, 02:36 PM
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The Pakistan Super League 2026 (PSL 2026) currently seems uncertain due to the ongoing tension between Iran, Israel, and the USA. This war has severely impacted the travel facilities, especially in West Asia, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not ready to entertain the rumors.
Many started wondering whether the Pakistan Super League 2026 would suffer a major hit due to the ongoing war. There have been talks around foreign players, possible travel concerns, and even whether some venues could be affected.
PCB confirms no change in PSL 2026 schedule
But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly made it clear that the PSL 2026 is still on track and they have not planned any changes yet. The PCB has stressed that the league will begin on March 26 as scheduled.
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This is a big relief for all the stakeholders because there had been growing chatter that overseas stars, especially from countries like Australia, might rethink their participation.
There was also uncertainty around the Peshawar match, with some fearing that the fixture could be removed or shifted. But the PCB insisted that no foreign player has made this call at the moment.
Notably, the PSL teams are preparing for training sessions on March 24 and 25. The upcoming edition will have eight teams and 44 matches across six cities—Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Faisalabad.
The opening match is set to take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where defending champions Lahore Qalandars will take on Hyderabad Kings.
Bangladesh players face PSL 2026 uncertainty despite NOCs
Meanwhile, Bangladeshi players’ participation in the upcoming PSL 2026 is still not confirmed. Six players from Bangladesh—Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, and Rishad Hossain—were picked in the PSL auction.
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Even these players got NOCs from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), but the tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan has forced them to rethink their call. The BCB has made it clear that their players’ participation now totally depends on the Bangladeshi government’s permission.
BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz: “Of course, we will seek permission from the government before sending our cricketers for the PSL. Under normal circumstances, these things are not required. We provide clearance; they go, play, and return. But since the situation is not normal and there is a risk element concerning the players, obviously we will discuss it with the government.”
'Government to make the call'
He added, “We will seek to know from the government whether it will be safe to travel or not, and based on that government decision, we will have to take the ultimate call on whether the players will go or not. Because it is not actually possible for us to understand the situation there. It is possible for the government to know.
The government will know, and if the government tells us that it is safe to go and the players can travel, then the players will go. But, in principle, we have decided that we will give the NOC, and they will go to play. But it depends on the situation at that time.”
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