Pakistan Super League will have minimal foreign player representation as the T20 event restarts from Saturday, with Australian David Warner promising to return but none of the eight New Zealanders ready for a comeback.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was forced to postpone the six-team League on May 9 after a match between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi had to be postponed following a drone attack close to the venue, the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Eight New Zealanders were amongst the 37 foreign players that were part of the tenth edition of the League which started on April 11.
Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain said in an interview that his Lahore Qalandars team-mate, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, had vowed never to go back to Pakistan after Indian drone attacks hit Pakistan on May 7.
However, after intervention from the franchise, Rishad clarified he was quoted out of context and apologised for his comments.
None of the seven England players are also expected to return, with David Willey and Chris Jordan representing Multan Sultans who had only one game left and the team was already out of the race for the play-offs.
The four remaining group games will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground, with the playoffs and final in Lahore. Aside from one afternoon game in Rawalpindi – between Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators on 18 May – all fixtures take place at night, with evening games starting at 7:30pm local time.
"HBL PSL X picks up from where it left off," PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "6 teams, 0 fear. Get ready for 8 thrilling matches starting 17th May, leading up to the Grand Final on 25th May. Best of luck to all the teams!"
