Pak militant group asks players to withdraw from PSL

After the Pakistan Cricket Boardrsquos PCB announced to hold the Pakistan Super League PSL behind closed doors due to the West Asia conflict a Pakistan militant group warned the overseas players to withdraw from the league claiming their security cannot be guaranteed as the current environment is currently unfit for any peaceful sporting activityPCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the governmentrsquos directive of on Sunday that PSL will begin as scheduled on March 26 but only at two venues with no spectators to conserve resources such as petrol amid the Gulf warHowever JamaatulAhrar an offshoot of the TehrikeTaliban militant group in a public statement targeted international cricketers and the faction issued a stark warning claiming that the volatile security climate in Pakistan makes it unsafe for overseas players to compete urging them to withdraw immediately from the PSLldquoToday the people of Pakistan specifically those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are enduring unprecedented hardships due to systemic military oppression and stateled violence While our streets are marked by the funerals of our loved ones and our mothers mourn the disappearance of their sons the organised spectacle of the Pakistan Super League PSL serves as a cruel mockery of our suffering Hosting such festive displays while entire regions bleed is an act of rubbing salt into our wounds that we categorically rejectrdquo their statement readldquoWe wish to convey a clear and urgent message to all participants of the PSL especially the foreign players The current internal security and political landscape of the country is volatile and precarious In a climate where military operations and civil unrest dominate significant portions of the territory the safety of international athletes cannot be guaranteed Given these dire circumstances we strongly advise you to prioritise your personal security and withdraw from the tournament immediately The environment is currently unfit for any peaceful sporting activityldquoWhile we are not inherently opposed to healthy sporting activities we refuse to tolerate the states hypocrisy It is unacceptable to promote an image of normalcy through cricket matches in one part of the country while statesponsored atrocities continue unabated in another We will not allow the blood of the oppressed to be overshadowed by the lights of a stadium nor will we permit the dignity of our people to be compromised for the sake of political opticsrdquo it addedThe PSL 2026 roster includes prominent names such as Australiarsquos David Warner Steven Smith and Adam Zampa Englandrsquos Moeen Ali and New Zealandrsquos Devon Conway Although the PCB has implemented rigorous security protocols officials have yet to formally link recent alterations to the tournamentrsquos format with these threatsWith the season scheduled to commence on Thursday attention is now focused on how the PCB and the participating international players will respond to the unfolding situationThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever