Peshawar Zalmi’s bid for a second Pakistan Super League title have been rocked after two of their players were suspended on the day of the final.
The 2017 champions will face Multan Sultans in the deciding match at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, starting at 8pm on Thursday.
The will be deprived the services of Umaid Asif and Haider Ali, as both have been suspended after a breach of the tournament’s Covid protocols.
The tournament had already been suspended back in March because of coronavirus cases within a number of teams.
The remaining fixtures were rescheduled and relocated to the UAE capital from Karachi, with a huge effort undertaken to make the tournament Covid-safe.
However, the Peshawar duo breached the conditions, after meeting with people from outside their team bubble.
According to an announcement made by the organisers hours in advance of the final, “they admitted to charges of violating the HBL PSL 6 Health and Safety Protocols by meeting people from outside their designated bio-secure bubble and also failing to maintain the prescribed social distancing.”
“The incident happened on Wednesday and the decision was made early Thursday morning by the Tournament Covid-19 Management panel,” the statement read.
“The two cricketers were found not to have interacted with any other squad members at any time after the incident and have been placed in room isolation.”
Haider has also been withdrawn from Pakistan’s squad for the tours to England and West Indies because of the offence.
Sohaib Maqsood, who will line up for Multan against Peshawar in the final, has been called up as Haider’s replacement.
Babar Azam, Usman Khawaja and Rashid Khan: PSL 2021 Team of the Year
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PSL 2021 TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT: 1. Babar Azam (Karachi Kings) - A model of consistency. Karachi’s title defence might have ended at the first knockout phase, but Babar still made seven half-centuries at an average of 69.25. All photos courtesy of Pakistan Super League -
2. Hazratullah Zazai (Peshawar Zalmi) - To say his arrival has given Peshawar’s title challenge fresh impetus understates the point. Three matchwinning performances in his first four matches has taken them to the final. -
3. Usman Khawaja (Islamabad United) - Rarely spotted on the franchise circuit outside of Australia, but advertised his wares to potential employers with a fine return in Abu Dhabi, especially via the century he made. -
4. Sohaib Maqsood (Multan Sultans) - He has been in belligerent form since arriving in the UAE, and played a key role in the qualifier playoff against Islamabad in blistering heat. -
5. Shoaib Malik (Peshawar Zalmi) - Will be 40 on his next birthday, yet remains both svelte and influential, despite his build up to this tournament amounting to not much more than a few net sessions at an understated academy near Dubai airport. -
6. Mohammed Rizwan (Multan Sultans) - Justified Multan’s late decision to swap captains, despite Shan Masood guiding them to the top of the table last year, as they reached the final this time round. -
7. Rashid Khan (Lahore Qalandars) - Harsh that the Afghan great was deprived a place in the knockout stage. Eleven wickets in eight games for Lahore, and an economy rate of 5.46. Standard Rashid Khan fare. -
8. Hasan Ali (Islamabad United) - The thriftiest bowler in the side who dominated the league phase, and he nearly earned them a place in the final with his extraordinary batting cameo in the last knockout match. -
9. Imran Tahir (Multan Sultans) - Particularly outstanding once the tournament decamped to UAE, which was maybe no surprise given he has been resident in the country for much of this year. -
10. Shaheen Afridi (Lahore Qalandars) - How Lahore managed to miss out on the knockout stage is a mystery given the strength of their bowling. Shaheen took 16 wickets in 10 games. -
11. Shahnawaz Dahani, right, (Multan Sultans) - Unquestionably the find of the tournament. Good pace, a load of wickets, and a ready smile marked him out as a new star.
