Abu Dhabi, June 1: The second phase of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 is set to start in the UAE. The domestic T20 tournament organised by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was postponed earlier this year midway after players started testing Covid-19 positive due to the bio bubble breach.
It was scheduled to resume from June 2 but couldn't begin on time due to logistical issues and strict entry rules in the UAE due to COVID-19 protocols in place. Several players haven't yet reached the UAE and will be required to serve mandatory quarantine before taking on the field. It will now begin on June 9.
PSL 6: Sarfaraz, 10 others denied entry permission to board commercial flights to Abu Dhabi
11 players and officials from Pakistan, including Pakistan cricketer and Quetta Gladiators' captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, were not allowed to board a flight to Abu Dhabi via Doha and will now be sent through Bahrain. They have been sent home to spend time with their families as they await their visas.
Over 200 players, support staff and tournament officials from Pakistan - 57 persons from Karachi and 145 from Lahore - are already in Abu Dhabi for the tournament after being flown on a special charter flight on May 27.
The tournament will now begin on June 9 and the finals will be played on June 24. There will be 5 doubleheaders. In what could be a challenge to the franchises in the second phase is the fact that they'll have to play on back-to-back days due to the packed schedule.
Here's the second phase of the tournament's schedule which the organisers have announced:
June 9, 2021
Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 08:30 PM IST
June 10, 2021
Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 05:30 PM IST
Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 10:30 PM IST
June 11, 2021
Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 08:30 PM IST
June 12, 2021
Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 08:30 PM IST
June 13, 2021
Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 05:30 PM IST
Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 10:30 PM IST
June 14, 2021
Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 08:30 PM IST
June 15, 2021
Quetta Gladiators vs Lahore Qalandars @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 05:30 PM IST
Peshawar Zalmi vs Karachi Kings @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 10:30 PM IST
June 16, 2021
Multan Sultans vs Quetta Gladiators @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 08:30 PM IST
June 17, 2021
Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 05:30 PM IST
Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 10:30 PM IST
June 18, 2021
Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 08:30 PM IST
June 19, 2021
Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 05:30 PM IST
Multan Sultans vs Islamabad United @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 10:30 PM IST
June 21, 2021
Qualifier (Team 1 vs Team 2) @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 05:30 PM IST
Eliminator 1 (Team 3 vs Team 4) @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 10:30 PM IST
June 22, 2021
Eliminator 2 (Loser Qualifier vs Winner Eliminator 1) @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
@ 08:30 PM IST
June 24, 2021
FINAL @ Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi @ 08:30 PM IST