PSL 6: PCB postpones departure to UAE due to delay in visas

• PCB official says departure to UAE from Pakistan was delayed by a day due to non-issuance of visas to all passengers.
• Source says everyone at hotel was ready to leave when they got a late-night message about the delay in flights to the UAE.
• UAE board had informed PCB after 10pm about the delay in issuance of visas.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday postponed its scheduled chartered flights to UAE to transfer players, officials and support staff for the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to a delay in issuance of visas.

Two aircraft were earlier scheduled to leave from Lahore and Karachi on Wednesday to take 233 passengers to Abu Dhabi for the PSL. However, a late-night message by the board stated that the flight has now been delayed by 24 hours.

“Departure to UAE from Pakistan delayed by a day due to non-issuance of visas of all passengers,” said a PCB official.

Read more: Players, broadcasters begin quarantine in Karachi, Lahore hotels

“Players and officials will continue to remain in isolation at their respective hotel rooms for one more day,” he added.

A source from the  hotel said that everyone had packed their bags and all seemed on track till they got a late-night message about the delay in flights to the UAE.

“We can’t do much, it is what it is,” the source told Geo News.

Another source said that PCB was banking on assurance of Emirates Cricket Board. The UAE board had informed PCB after 10pm about the delay in issuance of visas.

Read more: Rashid Khan to play for Lahore Qalandars once again, franchise confirms

PCB is now hopeful of getting all visas by Wednesday. It is yet to be determined that whether the delay in departure forces the PCB to tweak the proposed match schedule of PSL matches.