The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that the early phase of the Pakistan Super League 2026 will be played behind closed doors due to the tense regional situation stemming from the Iran–USA–Israel conflict. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Sunday that, despite the circumstances, the tournament will go ahead as scheduled from March 26, but without spectators in attendance. He also revealed that the competition has been scaled down to just two venues — Karachi and Lahore — instead of the originally planned six cities. “The PSL is an international brand and our pride. So, the league will be held on schedule from 26th March but no spectators will be allowed,” Naqvi said during a press conference, where he was joined by PSL CEO Salman Naseer. Naqvi stressed that the decision was not driven by security fears but rather by austerity measures introduced by the government in light of the ongoing crisis. “These decisions were taken because of the austerity measures announced by the government due to the situation in the region. I can tell you overseas players will start reaching Pakistan from tonight,” he added. The PCB has also scrapped the tournament’s opening ceremony in Lahore as part of cost-cutting steps. While the initial matches will be played without crowds, Naqvi indicated that spectators could return later in the tournament if the situation improves, saying the timeline depends on how long the crisis lasts. The broader impact of the West Asia conflict, including disruptions to oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, has led to a fuel crunch in Pakistan. As a result, the government has urged citizens to limit travel, with measures such as school closures, work-from-home policies, and extended Eid holidays already in place. Naqvi acknowledged the financial hit for franchises due to empty stadiums and said the board would compensate all eight teams by covering the expected gate revenue. Refunds will also be issued to fans who had already purchased tickets. He further explained that matches were removed from cities like Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Multan to avoid unnecessary travel and resource usage. However, he assured that these venues would be considered again in future editions. On the player front, Naqvi confirmed that the PCB’s legal team would take action against cricketers who withdrew from the PSL to join the Indian Premier League. “We will take action against those players according to the rules. There was a case last year too, and the same thing will happen this time,” he said. Despite the withdrawals, Naqvi maintained that the league continues to attract quality talent. “But you can see how top List A players are 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.
