Arbab Niaz Stadium not ready to host PSL matches

The prospects of Peshawar holding matches of the widely popular Pakistan Super League (PSL) later this year have grown dim after the provincial government told the game’s governing body that the main stadium is not ready to host the games. Sources have told The Express Tribune that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has excused itself from hosting cricket matches at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) later this year.

The primary reason given to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was that the renovation work on the stadium has yet to be completed. Hence, it cannot host any matches planned under the PSL.

Instead, the provincial government has suggested that the PCB instead host PSL matches in the cricket stadium built inside the Hayatabad Sports Complex.

Sources said that PCB’s High-Performance Director Nadeem Khan along with the national team’s bowling coach Saqlain Mushtaq had visited the under-renovation stadium on Wednesday. The PCB officials inspected the construction activity at the stadium.

During the visit, they were informed of the government’s decision.

The source further added that the construction work in the stadium was supposed to have been completed by June. However, due to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, work had been delayed and now, the earliest the stadium can be ready is December.

The PCB has sought time for consultations on whether the matches can be held at the cricket stadium in the Hayatabad Sports Complex, the sources added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2020.