MULTAN: Lack of planning in organising the matches at two venues simultaneously has been creating problem for the participating teams in the 5th HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL), especially in travelling matters during poor weather conditions.

A key official of a PSL franchise, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the rainy weather at Rawalpindi and Multan have created problems for his team as well as for other outfits on Friday.

Karachi Kings were to travel to Rawalpindi for their next match while Quetta Gladiators were to travel on Friday to Multan to face Multan Sultans on Saturday. However, both teams were badly hampered by severe rainy and stormy weather. It was learnt that a special plane was hired to fly the teams to the two venues.

The show will now be shifted from Multan to Lahore while matches in Rawalpindi will continue.

With all the 34 matches being held in Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board should have kept all aspects and possibilities in view in order to smoothly stage all legs of the PSL V.

Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi, who had launched the PSL in 2016, also pointed out the flaws in PCB’s decision of holding matches in different cities on same day instead of adhering to the previous schedule implemented in the UAE. Sethi was of the view that by holding one-week matches in Karachi with all the teams staying in one city and then holding the next round in the other city with all teams travelling together, the PCB could have saved the teams and everyone a lot of unnecessary travelling and fatigue besides, of course, the expenses.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2020