Bangladesh players depart for PSL duty

Several Bangladesh cricketers left for Pakistan on Monday to take part in the upcoming 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), shortly after the conclusion of Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.

Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana shared a Facebook post captioned “Eid Finish,” featuring teammates Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Parvez Hossain Emon onboard their flight ahead of departure.

While the rest of the Bangladesh squad is set to regroup after the holidays to prepare for the upcoming home white-ball series against New Zealand, the six PSL-bound players will follow a different schedule.

Bangladesh are slated to play three ODIs against New Zealand on April 17, 20, and 23, followed by a three-match T20I series on April 27, 29, and May 2. A preparatory white-ball camp is scheduled to begin on March 27.

However, the players contracted for the PSL -- Mustafizur Rahman and Parvez Hossain Emon (Lahore Qalandars), Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan Tamim (Peshawar Zalmi), and Rishad Hossain (Rawalpindi Pindiz) -- have been granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, allowing them to participate in the league from March 26 to May 3.

Meanwhile, the PSL will proceed as scheduled but under significant restrictions due to Pakistan’s ongoing fuel crisis. Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, confirmed that the tournament will be held without spectators and limited to just two venues.

The decision was made following consultations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has urged reduced public movement amid concerns over fuel shortages linked to regional instability.

As a result, matches will only be held in Lahore and Karachi, with cities such as Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, and Peshawar removed from the hosting list to minimise travel and resource usage.

Naqvi expressed disappointment for fans in affected cities, particularly in Peshawar, which was set to host matches for the first time. He also assured that franchise owners would be compensated for revenue losses due to the absence of ticket sales.