The apparently simple decision of staging the rest of the incomplete Pakistan Super League (PSL) 6 in Dubai is running into trouble because the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has failed to persuade the UAE government to issue the requisite visas. As a result, not only have some players been refused visas, but so have broadcasters. That is not just the only problem, though it is a major one. The PCB seems to have gone to ground, without proper decision-making by PCB Chief Executive Waseem Khan, or Chairman Ehsan Mani, who seem to be nowhere to be seen.
The PCB seems to be behaving as if they have all the time in the world, but they do not. The PSL has two deadlines looming before it. The first is that tournament must start, complete the remaining pool matches, and the semifinals and finals, all before the start of Pakistan’s tour of England, due to start in just over a week, with the first ODI scheduled for July 8. Then there is the problem of prolonging the delay into a clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was also called off after covid-19 concerns, and India was engulfed by the pandemic. Though some teams have been flown out, without a match schedule being finalised, the tournament seems to be in difficulties, and with the PSL 6 facing such difficulties, the necessary preliminary discussions about PSL 7 have not yet begun.
The PCB should not assume that Dubai is some sort of home ground, after it played all of its home matches there for so many years. It must not forget that the UAE is taking the pandemic seriously, even if the PCB is not. The strange silence of the PCB does not reflect well on the competence of it or its office-bearers, particularly the Chief Executive. Mr Mani too cannot entirely wash himself off all responsibility, and must be ready to get down and solve the complex equations which will allow the ill-starred PSL 6 to come to a conclusion, the Pakistan tour to England must take place without disruption, and let the PSL be staged smoothly, to the satisfaction of their Emirati hosts.
