PSL venue changes after visuals of 'drone attack' at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium surface

Visuals of damages at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Pakistan surfaced on social media on Thursday, with the claims that a drone had struck the site ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). There was no immediate official statement from the Pakistani government over the claimed drone attack at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. (X/@MonitorX99800)

Pakistan journalist Ihtisham Ul Haq wrote on his X handle that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to shift the remaining PSL matches to Karachi.

There was no immediate official statement from the Pakistani government over the claimed drone attack at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The PCB, on Wednesday, claimed that the PSL will continue as per schedule despite the increasing cross-border tensions with India following the terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam and Indian military strike at terror targets in Pakistan under the ‘Operation Sindoor’.

The country's Cricket Board has reportedly called an emergency meeting to discuss whether the ongoing Pakistan Super League, which features a number of foreign players, should be halted.

A reliable source in the Board cited in a PTI report on Thusrday said the PCB would follow the advice from the government on continuing the league and it would be holding discussions later on Thursday.

Operation Sindoor

In the early hours of Wednesday, the Indian armed forces carried out precision missile strikes under Operation Sindoor, successfully targeting nine terrorist locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Among the targets were key strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke. These strikes were conducted in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, most of whom were tourists.

Despite the tensions, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the match between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators will proceed as scheduled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was set to host matches on May 7, 8, 9, and 10.

The final group-stage game is scheduled for May 11 in Multan. The Qualifier match will be held in Rawalpindi on May 13, followed by the eliminators on May 14 and 16, and the tournament final on May 18 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

(With PTI inputs)

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