Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has granted approval for the public to attend all three playoff matches of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.
“Just had a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and I’m pleased to share that we have secured his approval for public attendance in all three PSL playoff matches as well,” he wrote on X. Last week, Naqvi had similarly announced that the prime minister had approved spectator attendance for the tournament’s final match on a request from franchise owners.
This year’s PSL tournament has largely played to empty stadiums in line with austerity measures introduced by the government amidst fuel supply disruptions caused by the Iran war. There are now just four matches remaining, including a qualifier and two eliminators.
In his post, Naqvi emphasized that the permission for public attendance at stadiums “comes with an important condition from his [prime minister] side that fans are strongly encouraged to use public transport or minimize fuel consumption while attending the matches, in line with the ongoing national austerity efforts.”
He further said P.M. Sharif had “conveyed his best wishes to all four teams competing in the PSL playoffs. Looking forward to some exciting and entertaining cricket ahead.”
Following Naqvi’s announcement, tickets for the remaining PSL matches went on sale both online and at physical locations.