The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has responded for the first time after the Australian players were strictly warned to avoid the city of Peshawar ahead of the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL). Despite tensions rising across the Gulf and along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the PCB decided to go ahead with the PSL 2026, including a sizeable overseas presence.
The concerns for the overseas players came up after more than 400 people have reportedly died after recent airstrikes in Kabul. Not only this added to the uncertainty, but also could influence plans for a more than 40 non-Pakistan stars who have signed the dotted lines.
According to a PTI report, the PCB brushed aside the reports of Australian players being skeptical about traveling to Pakistan for PSL 2026 despite the ongoing tensions. “All travel arrangements and plans are in place and we will have all the Australian players who have signed for the PSL 11 start arriving from next week,” PTI quoted a source, reported by HT.
Earlier, Australian media outlet Code Sports reported that the Australian players and support staff in PSL 2026 have been told about the potential risks of traveling to Pakistan despite giving the clearance. It also reported that they have been told to avoid ‘Peshawar’ as the city has been marked as ‘do not travel’ area due to the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Peshawar will host just one game in PSL 2026.
When is PSL 2026 starting?
Meanwhile, the PSL 2026, which starts on March 26, will have eight franchises for the first time in history. The final will be played on May 3. Making his PSL debut, Australian Marnus Labuschagne has been entrusted with leadership duties after new entrants Hyderabad Kingsmen appointed him the captain for PSL 2026.
This also makes Labuschagne the third Australian captain in PSL 2026 after David Warner at Karachi Kings and Ashton Turner at Multan Sultans.
