LAHORE: Former national team captain and Quetta Gladiator’s captain Sarfaraz Ahmed could not receive clearance for traveling to the UAE for the remaining matches of the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League, sources said on Sunday.
According to sources, Sarfaraz reached the hotel again from the airport and will remain in quarantine till his departure for Abu Dhabi.
Sources further said Sarfaraz and 10 other persons from Lahore could not get clearance for the trip to Abu Dhabi. However, five people, including fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain, left Karachi for Abu Dhabi. The former national team skipper was scheduled to leave for Abu Dhabi via a commercial flight this morning at 4:00 am.
According to sources, he has been in quarantine at the hotel for the past seven days and has also expressed displeasure with the PCB management over issues relating to his departure.
Earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board had confirmed it has received approvals and exemptions from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government for the staging of the remaining 20 matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Abu Dhabi.
The PCB will now hold an online meeting with the six franchise owners to update them about the progress made as well as to finalize all details.
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan: “We are delighted with this development as the remaining hurdles in the staging of the remaining HBL PSL 6 matches in Abu Dhabi have been overcome and all systems are now good to go.”
“We are grateful to the UAE government, National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, Emirates Cricket Board and Abu Dhabi Sports Council for their support and patronage in ensuring all final obstacles were removed, which has firmly put us in a position to complete our marquee event.
He said the PCB, in consultation with the team owners, will work to finalise all event-related arrangements. He said the holding of the remaining matches in Abu Dhabi will allow fans to once again follow and support their favourite players and teams.
“The holding of the remaining matches in Abu Dhabi will allow our fans to once again follow and support their favourite players and teams through our high-quality broadcast coverage of one of the most competitive cricket leagues in the world.”
