Pakistan Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi (AP Photo) The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that the early phase of the 2026 Pakistan Super League will be played behind closed doors due to the tense regional situation arising from the conflict between Iran, the US and Israel.PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday announced that despite the circumstances, the tournament will be played as scheduled from March 26 but without spectators. He also revealed that the competition has been scaled down to only two venues – Karachi and Lahore – instead of the originally planned six cities.
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Ajit Agarkar is knocking on BCCI’s door asking for a huge extension | World Cup “PSL is an international brand and our pride. So the league will be held as scheduled from March 26 but no spectators will be allowed there,” Naqvi said during a press conference where he was joined by PSL CEO Salman Naseer.Naqvi emphasized that the decision was not driven by security concerns, but rather by austerity measures introduced by the government in light of the ongoing crisis. “These decisions have been taken due to the austerity measures announced by the government due to the situation in the region. I can tell you that overseas players will start entering Pakistan from tonight,” he added.The PCB also canceled the opening ceremony of the tournament in Lahore as part of cost-cutting measures. While the opening matches will be played without crowds, Naqvi hinted that spectators could return later in the tournament if the situation improves. The timeline, he said, depends on how long the crisis will last.The wider impact of the West Asian conflict, including the disruption of oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, has led to fuel shortages in Pakistan. As a result, the government has urged citizens to limit travel, with measures such as school closures, a work-from-home policy and extended Eid holidays already in place.Acknowledging the financial hit to the franchises due to the empty stadiums, Naqvi said the board would compensate all eight teams by covering the expected gate revenue. Refunds will also be issued to fans who have already purchased tickets.He further explained that matches have been removed from cities like Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Multan to avoid unnecessary travel and use of resources. However, he assured that these places will be reconsidered in future editions.As for the players, Naqvi confirmed that PCB’s legal team will take action against the cricketers who pulled out of the PSL to join the Indian Premier League. “We will take action against those players according to the rules. There was also a case last year and the same thing will happen this time,” he said.Despite the withdrawal, Naqvi maintained that the league continues to attract quality talent. “But you can see the top A-list players joining the PSL and that shows the growth of our league,” he added.The PSL 2026 season is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3.
