PSL falls prey to coronavirus

KARACHI: Pakistan’s cricket authorities were on Tuesday forced to postpone the final stages of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after Karachi Kings’ batsman Alex Hales developed suspected coronavirus symptoms before the start of the pre-finals.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board today postponed the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 with immediate effect and the two semi-finals and the final will be rescheduled for a later date. This decision was taken after a player, who had left Pakistan a few days ago, showed symptoms of COVID-19 and he will undergo screening shortly,” said a media release issued by the PCB.

The Board had announced last week that the playoffs would be truncated with this week’s semi-finals and final in Lahore to be played with no spectators to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The final had already been brought forward from Sunday to Wednesday. PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said officials were forced to reconsider after a foreign player they wouldn’t identify showed coronavirus symptoms.

Hours later, however, Hales confirmed on Twitter that he was the player in question, saying he first started developing flu-like symptoms on Sunday after returning to Britain. Hales was one of the top international players in the PSL, playing for the Karachi Kings as a batsman.

The lofty 31-year-old has played 11 Tests, 70 one-dayers and 60 Twenty20 matches for England since making his international debut in 2011. Other overseas players — including from England, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies — have been leaving the country en masse in recent days as cases of coronavirus rise.

Meanwhile, Wasim said officials were in the process of carrying out “immediate tests of all those who were involved with the (PSL)”.

“The PCB hopes and prays that normalcy returns quickly to our society so that everyone can return to a healthy and routine lifestyle and we can bring back cricket to the fans”, he added.

The announcement comes a day after Pakistan said it had also postponed Bangladesh’s upcoming tour because of the virus. Pakistan has recorded at least 187 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, but no deaths so far.

However, officials have tested only about 1,500 potential cases in the country of 215 million people, where healthcare is frequently inadequate. The month-long PSL began in February, with games held solely in the cricket-mad country for the first time in its five-year history.

Previous editions were held wholly or partially in the UAE over security fears. A deadly 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team bus halted international cricket tours to Pakistan, but visits are gradually resuming following an improvement in security.

Wasim said that postponing the PSL was the right option. “This is an unprecedented situation, which is evolving with each passing day. The PCB has closely monitored the situation and had taken precautionary measures including consultation with relevant authorities and temperature screening of players, officials and media on match and non-match days.

“The PCB believes it has made the right decisions in the lead up to the postponement of the tournament that included consulting the team owners, holding the matches behind closed doors, allowing the players the option to withdraw from the tournament, rescheduling of the matches and reducing the number of event days.

“Obviously before postponing the tournament, we took into confidence the team owners. “The PCB will use its reach and influence to play its part in all government’s drives and initiatives to create awareness and dealing with this pandemic. The PCB hopes and prays that normalcy returns quickly to our society so that everyone can return to a healthy and routine lifestyle and we can bring back cricket to the fans.” The PCB has also suspended its all domestic competitions and cricket activities. —with inputs from agencies