Cricket-Pakistan postpones T20 league hours before semis in Lahore

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic hours before the semi-final matches were due to start in Lahore on Tuesday. The franchise-based Twenty20 competition had been shortened by four days last week and a number of foreign players left before the semi-finals.

"HBL PSL 2020 postponed, to be rescheduled. More details to follow in due course," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a Tweet. Multan was to face Peshawar in the first semi-final at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium followed by the second match between Karachi and Lahore.

The final was scheduled for the same venue on Wednesday. The last leg of Bangladesh's tour of Pakistan, which involved a test match and a one-day international in Karachi next month, was postponed on Monday.

"Sad to see the PSL end, but health and safety of all concerned are the key..." tweeted Multan's Shahid Afridi. The PSL postponement followed Pakistan's decision to suspend all domestic soccer because of the coronavirus outbreak which has shut down sport around the world and killed more than 7,000 people.