The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 has been relocated to the United Arab Emirates for the remainder of its tenth season due to rising border tensions between Pakistan and India. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that the decision was made following an emergency meeting on Thursday, during which PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi consulted with overseas players currently participating in the tournament. The majority of those players expressed a strong preference to move the league out of Pakistan, citing security concerns.
A match between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi, originally scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi, was postponed as a result of the developments. Although the PCB has not yet finalized the new dates and venues for the remaining eight matches, it has assured that further announcements will be made soon. Foreign players have already begun their departure from Pakistan en route to the UAE, where preparations are underway to host the rest of the competition. However, it is expected to be several days before play resumes.
According to the initial schedule, Rawalpindi was set to host four of the final games, Multan one, and Lahore the last three, including the final. While Karachi was briefly considered as a fallback option, the PCB ultimately opted for the UAE—a familiar territory for the PSL. The league began in the UAE in 2016 and remained there in full for its first two seasons, with the exception of the 2017 final. The UAE also hosted a portion of the 2021 season due to pandemic-related challenges.
This sudden relocation is likely to affect Pakistan’s broader cricketing commitments. Bangladesh are scheduled to tour Pakistan for a five-match T20I series beginning May 25 in Faisalabad, just three days after the PSL final was initially slated for May 18. The PCB has yet to make a decision regarding the status of that series.