Pakistan's T20 League Relocated to UAE Amid Tensions with India-Pakistan

Pakistan’s T20 cricket league, the Pakistan Super League (PSL), is being moved to the United Arab Emirates following escalating tensions with India, officials confirmed Friday. The decision comes after a series of drone attacks, including one that reached near Rawalpindi Stadium on Thursday, where a match was scheduled between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi but was subsequently postponed.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated that Pakistan's military had neutralized 28 Indian drones, describing the incursion as "a deliberate attempt to target domestic and foreign cricket players." In response, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the remaining PSL matches would be held in the UAE, with an updated schedule to be released soon.

PCB Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi emphasized that the decision was made to protect players. “While we believe sports should be kept separate from politics, the reckless targeting of the stadium forced us to act in the interest of safety,” he said.

The league features 37 international players from countries including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the West Indies. Sources told AFP that many foreign players were unwilling to stay in Pakistan amid the escalating conflict, which has drawn global concern.

Tensions escalated after India launched air strikes into Pakistan, blaming Islamabad for a recent attack in Indian-administered Kashmir—a claim Pakistan denies. Both sides have since exchanged heavy fire and accused each other of drone attacks.

International cricket had only resumed in Pakistan in 2020, following an 11-year suspension after the 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore. Several foreign stars currently playing in the PSL, including Australia’s David Warner, had recently returned to Pakistan with their national teams, underscoring how far the country had come in restoring its cricketing reputation—until now.