By Zainab Shafiq 
The Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Management Committee, Najam Sethi, has sought the support of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the deadlock with the caretaker Punjab government regarding the additional cost of security arrangements for Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight matches in Punjab.
The premier, who is also the PCB’s Patron-in-Chief, has assured “full support” to Sethi.
Sethi has informed PM Shehbaz that the PCB will not pay the additional cost for the security arrangements, and if the Punjab government does not withdraw the demand, the matches will be shifted to Karachi.
The PCB and PSL franchises have unanimously decided not to pay an additional cost of Rs450 million to the Punjab government. The franchises have also been informed about the revised schedule in case the matches are shifted to Karachi.
The deadlock may cause white-ball matches between New Zealand and Pakistan in April and May being shifted out of Punjab. Interim Chief Minister of Punjab, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, has stated that the provincial cabinet is not in favor of waiving off the bill. However, a cabinet meeting has been called to discuss the matter.
According to Naqvi, in 2022, Rs600 million were spent on security measures for PSL matches in Punjab. As an interim setup, the cabinet does not have the authority to spend such a surplus amount, and the cabinet is also against such expenditure.
Under the current schedule, Rawalpindi is set to host 11 fixtures, while Lahore is set to host nine matches. The playoffs, closing ceremony, and final will also be played in Lahore. The deadlock between the PCB and the Punjab government has raised concerns about the security arrangements for the PSL matches, and it remains to be seen how the issue will be resolved.
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PSL 8 matches not to be shifted to Karachi