NEW DELHI: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) will move its remaining matches to the United Arab Emirates in the wake of Pakistan鈥檚 ongoing conflict with India, the country鈥檚 cricket board chief Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday.
Thursday鈥檚 PSL match in Rawalpindi was postponed amid escalating hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbors, and Naqvi said the decision to move the last eight games was made to ensure players avoid 鈥減ossible reckless targeting.鈥�
Across the border, India鈥檚 cricket board is considering suspending the Indian Premier League (IPL) amid the rising tensions, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
IPL organizers have said they are awaiting government advice before determining the fate of the remainder of the hugely popular Twenty20 tournament.
鈥淭he PCB has always stood by the position that politics and sports need to be kept apart,鈥� Naqvi, also Pakistan鈥檚 interior minister, said in a statement.
鈥淎s a responsible organization that has overcome adversities repeatedly and ensured that the game of cricket flourishes, it was important for us to ensure the mental well-being of all players participating in the PSL.鈥�
India鈥檚 cricket board (BCCI) has moved Sunday鈥檚 IPL match in Dharamsala near the Pakistan border to Ahmedabad in the west. A match at the same venue in the northern city was abandoned midway due to what officials said was a power failure.
Vice president Rajeev Shukla said they were waiting for government advice on Friday.
鈥淭he situation is changing day by day,鈥� Shukla told the Indian Express newspaper.
鈥淲e will do whatever we are told and inform all stakeholders. At the moment, our priority is the safety of all players, fans and other stakeholders.鈥�
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had told Reuters on Thursday that the IPL鈥檚 foreign players were 鈥渃omfortable鈥� to continue playing. He did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.
The two countries have been clashing since India struck multiple locations in Pakistan on Wednesday that it said were 鈥渢errorist camps鈥� in retaliation for a deadly attack in its restive region of Kashmir last month, in which it said Islamabad was involved.
Pakistan denied the accusation but both countries have exchanged cross-border firing and shelling and sent drones and missiles into each other鈥檚 airspace since then, with nearly four dozen people dying in the violence.