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PCB Seeks PM Nod to Let Fans Back Into PSL Games Following Backlash Over India Fuel Claim

Government sign-off now determines if closed-door games in Karachi and Lahore can reopen to fans.

Overview

  • Mohsin Naqvi, who spoke in Karachi on Monday, said he will ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to permit spectators for the rest of the Pakistan Super League.
  • PSL 2026 continues without crowds in Lahore and Karachi under government austerity tied to a regional fuel squeeze and limits on public movement.
  • Naqvi said the schedule will not change and promised franchises their gate receipts, with the PCB covering related costs.
  • His claim that petrol queues in India explain different approaches has drawn online pushback and media fact-checks that report no credible shortage there.
  • Franchise owners have pressed for stadiums to reopen, and Islamabad United’s Ali Naqvi suggested security and diplomatic duties may also be driving the crowd restrictions.
  • Naqvi also floated a review and potential rebuild of Karachi’s National Bank Cricket Arena to upgrade facilities.