The knockout stages of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) or PSL 5 had to be postponed. The two semi-finals which were to be played on March 17 were postponed after it was reported that one player from the tournament had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

PSL 2020: Pakistan Super League season postponed amid coronavirus outbreak

The name of the player was not revealed by the Pakistan Cricket Board, but senior commentator and former Pakistan captain Rameez Raja has outed England and Karachi Kings batsman Alex Hales as the said player.

It was reported that Hales showed symptoms of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) upon his return to London, after participating in the PSL.

Raja, in a video widely shared on Twitter, said that Hales may have contracted the virus, hinting that necessitated the need for the league's postponement earlier in the day.

"The news coming in right now is that maybe Alex Hales is showing symptoms and he is being tested because of which this problem has arisen. We (the broadcasters) also have our tests in the next two hours,” Raja said in the video.

Here is the said video:

Meanwhile, the PCB nor its CEO Wasim Khan officially confirmed Hales as the overseas player who contracted the coronavirus, despite him fitting the profile given by the board. "The overseas player who had the symptoms has already left Pakistan. The PSL 2020 was postponed due to this development,” Wasim Khan said.  

(geosuper.tv inputs)