The Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight matches were on coarse to be held in Lahore and Rawalpindi as per schedule, as the deadlock between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the interim Punjab government was expected to end today.
Minister of Health from the interim government, Dr. Javed Akram, had confirmed to Express News that the PSL matches will not be shifted from Lahore and Rawalpindi to Karachi.
The interim Punjab government had demanded PKR500 million from PCB to conduct the matches in Lahore and Rawalpindi. The board has already paid PKR50 million to Punjab government for expenses on food.
The provincial government were now demanding the remaining PKR450 million for lighting and security purposes. In order to save these expenses, the board is now considering shifting the Punjab-leg of PSL 8 to Karachi.
According to sources, the interim Government of Punjab has decided to be flexible on lights, security and other expenses. They have decided to borne fifty percent of the bill payment, which is PKR 250 million. While they have asked PCB to borne the remaining PKR 250 million.
However, PCB is still not ready to pay any amount for security, lights, and other expenses handed over by the government.
During the meeting between the aforementioned parties on Friday as well, PCB had flatly refused to pay the bills of PKR450 million.
PCB has sent the message to interim government that Lahore will host two games, after which the league can shift to Karachi. The board is hoping the patron-in-chief of the board and Prime Minister, Shahbaz Sharift, to intervene in the matter.
Matches in Lahore will start from February 26, while Rawalpindi will host the PSL matches from March 1.
