Pakistan Super League to Take Place Without Spectators Amid Ongoing Fuel Crisis

Due to the recent surge in fuel prices, Pakistan's top domestic T20 competition will be held in empty stadiums. The Pakistan Super League, initially scheduled to take place in six cities, will now only be hosted in Lahore and Karachi, with the first match set to take place in Lahore on Thursday. English players Moeen Ali, Tom Curran, James Vince, Richard Gleeson, and Laurie Evans are among those participating in the 2026 PSL. The decision to play behind closed doors comes as Pakistan faces skyrocketing oil prices triggered by the conflict in the region, prompting the government to urge citizens to limit their travel. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated, 'We cannot ask people to restrict their movement and then have large crowds in stadiums every day.' The opening ceremony has also been canceled. Several foreign players, including Australians Jake Fraser-McGurk and Spencer Johnson, have withdrawn from the PSL due to personal reasons. The PCB will provide refunds for all sold tickets within 72 hours and compensate franchise owners for lost revenue from ticket sales. Naqvi apologized to the cities that will no longer host PSL matches, including Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, and Peshawar, which was scheduled to host its first PSL games this season.