PSL 6 will be played in Karachi and Lahore from February 20.
The sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will begin in Karachi on February 20. With all the teams finalizing their squads about a month ago, the fans have a new piece of good news. The Pakistan government has allowed 20% capacity crowds for the entire tournament.
PSL 6 has been restricted to just two venues this season. The National Stadium in Karachi and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host all 34 games with the former hosting the first 20 games.
The knockout games will be played in Lahore along with the last 10 league stage games. With the 20% capacity crowd rule coming in, Karachi can fill about 7500 seats while Lahore can fill around 5500 seats per game.
PSL 2021: Complete line-ups of all teams after PSL 6 draft
Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) statement read, "The decision means around 7,500 ticketed spectators will be allowed access inside the National Stadium (in Karachi) per match day, while around 5,500 will be able to attend each match day at the Gaddafi Stadium (in Lahore)."
It has been taken as a positive step towards the game in Pakistan as there was not a lot of cricket played since March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic halted sports around the world.
PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani is happy with the fact some fans are being allowed to enter the stadiums even though the number is a bit less.
Mani said, "These are baby steps, and considering that most sport events are being played in empty stadiums, this is a positive achievement."
It is certainly a step up from PSL 5, which was played behind closed doors.
(With inputs from AP)