The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided that matches in seventh edition of the HBL PSL (Pakistan Super League) will go ahead if franchises have 13 players available in case of a Covid-19 outbreak.
The decision was taken at a meeting between the PCB and team representatives held in Lahore on Monday.
The PCB and the franchises signed an agreement between under which it was agreed that the SOPs would be observed during the month-long tournament to ensure its not interrupted due to the virus.
All players will have to go through a three-day quarantine period after which they will have to clear the PCR test before being allowed to play in the PSL, which will be held in Karachi and Lahore from January 27 to February 27.
It has also been decided that the PCB will select a separate pool of 25 local players — who went unpicked in the main and supplementary drafts — and accommodate them in a bio-secure hotel where all teams are set to stay during the course of the event.
Teams severely hit by a Covid-19 outbreak will be allowed to pick from this pool of players if they don’t have 13 players available from their squad of 22.
According to the agreement, players and officials will not be allowed to bring along their families.
Meanwhile, the PCB spokesperson said that the seventh edition of the PSL must be completed within the scheduled time. If the coronavirus outbreak is worse, it would be halted for seven days and following its resumption, the number of matches per day would be doubled.
He said the decision was taken because there was no other option for the PSL considering Pakistan’s busy international cricket schedule at home this year as it would host Australia, England, and New Zealand.
He confirmed that internationally active South African players will not be available for the tournament after the country’s cricket governing body Cricket South Africa denied them the NOCs.
CSA said it wanted its players to focus on their commitments with the national team and feature in domestic cricket events.
