PSL 2018: Major setback as five foreign players are not ready to play in Pakistan

The third edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) which is currently being played at the UAE has reached the final period of the league stages, where the teams are battling hard to secure their spot in the playoffs. The knockout matches of the tournament including the important finale encounter would be played in Lahore and Karachi. But the suspecting factor in this situation is that major overseas cricketers have denied traveling to Pakistan in case their respective teams qualify for the playoffs.

Five English cricketers not ready to support PSL in Pakistan

In the recent report mentioned in the Sunday Times, star England players which include the likes of limited overs skipper Eoin Morgan, opener Jason Roy, Alex Hales and wicket-keeper batsman Sam Billings have clearly refused traveling to Pakistan if their teams qualify for the playoffs of the PSL. The report also suggests that these players have not taken any security advice to support their decision. They joined their respective franchises on Monday and will now be available only for a couple of games and the first qualifier of the Twenty20 league.

England skipper Eoin Morgan will be featuring in the Karachi Kings line-up, who are currently placed at the third spot in the points tally. Hales and Billings will be playing for the Islamabad United who claims the second spot in the list. While the opener Roy would be representing the Quetta Gladiators in his maiden PSL season.

Earlier another star English batsman Kevin Pietersen also made his point clear on not visiting Pakistan if his franchise the Gladiators qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament. Pietersen was adamant on his same statement which he made in the second edition of the PSL, where the final match was successfully hosted in Pakistan in accompany of many foreign cricketers without any issues. The Gladiators skipper Sarfraz Ahmed also shared his views on Pietersen’s decision and mentioned him as an important member of the team.

“KP is KP but I hope he takes a good decision. He will definitely realize that last year we suffered loss because of the absence of four international players. But we have replacements in line as well now,” said Sarfraz as quoted by Gulf News.