Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi on Sunday announced the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023 matches in Lahore and Rawalpindi will “continue as scheduled”. Sethi expressed his gratitude to Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi for being “kind enough to agree to share cost of lighting routes during PSL matches in Lahore”. The Punjab government and PCB had remained locked in negotiations over security arrangements for the matches in Lahore and Rawalpindi with the former demanding Rs450 million for security. The Punjab government had previously agreed to light up the route from the team hotels to the Gaddafi Stadium, but its standoff with the PCB had continued to drag on, making it seem like the PSL would be shifted from Lahore and Rawalpindi to Karachi after an agreement on security expenditure eluded the two sides, on Saturday.

The Punjab government had lowered its demand for security funds – from Rs450m to Rs250m – but the PCB was refusing to flinch, stating that it was the obligation of the government to provide protection to the teams, as per the agreements signed in 2014 for the restoration of international cricket in Pakistan. The PCB had taken its patron-in-chief Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the loop as well.

Schedule of remaining matches

Feb 27: Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Mar 1: Peshawar Zalmi vs Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Mar 2: Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Mar 3: Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Mar 4: Lahore Qalandars vs Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Mar 5: Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Mar 6: Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Mar 7: Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi; Islamabad United vs Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium

Mar 8: Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Mar 9: Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Mar 10: Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Mar 11: Quetta Gladiators vs Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Mar 12: Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi; Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Mar 15: Qualifier, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Mar 16: Eliminator 1, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Mar 17: Eliminator 2, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Mar 19: Final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.