Dhaka [Bangladesh], May 11 (ANI): Bangladesh all-rounder Rishad Hossain revealed the challenges faced by overseas players participating in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as tensions on the border between Pakistan and India escalated.
The 10th edition of the PSL was postponed on May 9, amid rising tensions between the two countries and overseas players were evacuated to the UAE before arranging flights to their home countries.
Rishad, who played for Lahore Qalandars, recalled the difficulties faced by overseas players, saying, “Alhamdulillah, we have reached Dubai after overcoming a crisis, and I am feeling well now. After landing in Dubai when we heard that a missile struck the airport 20 minutes after we took off from the airport. The news was scary as well as sorrowful, and now, after reaching Dubai we are feeling relieved.”
“Whenever I go out to play, my family worries for me whether the situation is good or not and now when they heard the news about Pakistan – the bomb-blasts and the missile-strikes here and there – naturally they were in tension. I personally tried to console them and tell them not to worry about me and they were quite normal,” he said, as per a Cricbuzz report quoted by Wisden.
Rishad went on to reveal that his Bangladeshi teammate Nihad Rana, who was playing for Peshawar Zalmi, was shaken by the events.
“Nahid Rana was very quiet, maybe for the tension, as I understood. I kept telling him not to be tense and hopefully nothing would happen to us. Alhamdulillah, we reached Dubai safely,” Rishad said.
Rishad also recalled that the England all-rounder Tom Curran started “crying like a child” and several foreign players vowed never to return to Pakistan.
“Foreign players like Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, Tom Curran … all of them were so frightened … Landing in Dubai, Mitchell told me that he would never go to Pakistan again, especially in this kind of scenario. Overall, they all were horrified,” said Rishad.
“He [Tom Curran] went to the airport, but heard that the airport was closed. Then he started crying like a little child, that it took two or three people to handle him,” Rishad added.
Rishad also revealed that the PCB initially planned to hold the remaining PSL matches in Karachi, but reversed it after players expressed their safety concerns with PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.
“The meeting was basically called to know our concerns, what we think about the current scenario. Almost all the foreign players said that the only safe place available for the later part of the tournament is Dubai.
“Yes, the PCB chair tried to convince us to conduct the remaining matches in Karachi. At that time, he tried to hide from us that there were two drone attacks just the day before, which we came to know later. Later all of us took the decision (to shift to Dubai), and the PCB Chairman helped us a lot to reach Dubai safely by the grace of Almighty Allah. Thanks to him and the Pakistan Cricket Board,” he revealed.
Notably, in a crucial step toward de-escalation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed on Saturday night that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions–on land, at sea, and in the air–effective from 1700 hours IST.
Misri noted that another round of DGMO-level talks is scheduled for May 12 at noon.
Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time.”
He added, “Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours.” (ANI)
Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed of ANI; only the image & headline may have been reworked by News Services Division of World News Network Inc Ltd and Palghar News and Pune News and World News
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