The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) plans to conduct the remaining Pakistan Super League (PSB) matches in the UAE may not succeed as the Emirates Cricket Board is “unlikely to approve” its request due to the border tensions between India and Pakistan.
A source close to the developments in the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has indicated that the Board is set to reject the request from the PCB, which has already announced that the PSL would be held in the UAE, owing to “security concerns potentially emanating from the rising tension between India and Pakistan”. It is learnt that the recent developments have made the ECB “wary of being perceived as an ally of PCB”, which the act of hosting the PSL may suggest.
The ECB has enjoyed a strong relationship with BCCI in recent years, having hosted the India edition of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, editions of the IPL as well as India matches during ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Dubai is also the headquarters of the International Cricket Council, which is currently headed by former BCCI secretary Jay Shah.
The UAE has a diverse South Asian population which enjoys cricket. It is feared that hosting a tournament like the PSL in the midst of such tense circumstances could vitiate harmony, pose security risks and stir unnecessary friction between communities.
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