Organisers wait on final approval to hold remaining PSL 2021 matches in UAE

Emirates Cricket Board are expected to respond to the Pakistan Cricket Board imminently with a decision on whether the T20 league can proceed here next month

Multan Sultans' Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot against Quetta Gladiators during the Pakistan Super League match at the National Stadium in Karachi on March 3, 2021. All photos AFP

Quetta Gladiators' Usman Khan plays a shot against Multan Sultans. AFP

Quetta Gladiators' Mohammad Hasnain celebrates after taking the wicket of Multan Sultans' Carlos Brathwaite. AFP

Quetta Gladiators' Ben Cutting drops a catch off Multan Sultans' Imran Tahir.

Karachi Kings' Abbas Afridi celebrates with teammates the wicket of Peshawar Zalmi's Tom Kohler-Cadmore at the National Stadium in Karachi on March 3, 2021.

Karachi Kings celebrate the wicket of Peshawar Zalmi's Tom Kohler-Cadmore.

Karachi Kings' Abbas Afridi takes a catch off Peshawar Zalmi's Haider Ali.

Peshawar Zalmi's Ravi Bopara plays a shot.

Karachi Kings' Babar Azam plays a shot.

Karachi Kings' Babar Azam and Daniel Christian celebrates after winning their Pakistan Super League match against Peshawar Zalmi.

The organisers of the Pakistan Super League are pushing on with planning the remainder of the 2021 season in the UAE, as they await final approval that it can go ahead.

The Emirates Cricket Board are expected to respond to their Pakistan counterparts imminently with a decision on whether the T20 league can proceed here next month.

A delegation from the competition travelled to Abu Dhabi before the start of the Eid break, to discuss the logistics of bringing the remaining matches of the 2021 season to the UAE.

The PSL was suspended midway through the season in March after a number of positive coronavirus cases emerged within the teams.

It was confirmed 10 days ago that the PSL's organisers had made a request to the ECB about the prospect of shifting the outstanding fixtures to the Emirates.

Discussions took place over the possibility of staging all the matches at either Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, or the Dubai International Stadium. Pakistan are keen on playing the matches before Pakistan depart for their limited-overs tour to the UK.

It is unlikely more than one venue would be used for the rescheduled games, as part of the operation to make the competition biosecure.

However, two days after the initial request was made to the ECB, commercial flights into the UAE from Pakistan were suspended, due to a spike in Covid cases in the country.

The decision on whether the rescheduled tournament can proceed is understood to be dependent on the UAE government's approval.

Plans are in place to bring the teams to Abu Dhabi on charter flights from Karachi and Lahore on May 22, with a seven to 10-day quarantine period following their arrival.