A PSL exhibition match between Sarfaraz Ahmed’s Quetta Gladiators and Babar Azam’s Peshawar Zalmi at the Bugti Stadium in Quetta was called off due to a blast that occurred in the city on Sunday afternoon.
After the crowd panicked, the game was called off. The game was called off while considering the participants’ safety. Stones were reportedly thrown toward the playing field by spectators standing outside the stadium. Additionally, some spectators lit a fire in front of Bugti Stadium.
Following a terrorist attack in Quetta, a number of Pakistani cricketers, including current captain Babar Azam and former all-rounder Shahid Afridi, were relocated to the safety of their locker rooms.
On Sunday, February 5, at the Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti Cricket Stadium, Afridi and Babar competed in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023 exhibition match for the Peshawar Zalmi against the Quetta Gladiators.
The blast took place a few miles
The explosion occurred a few miles down the road from the PSL 2023 exhibition match. An explosion near the Police Lines area injured five people.
According to a senior police officer, the rescue operation has been concluded, and the injured have been sent to the hospital. Concerns about the PSL exhibition match lingered for some time before a ‘green signal’ was granted.
“As soon as the explosion happened, as a precautionary measure, the match was stopped and players taken to the dressing room for a while. Later, after the green signal, the match resumed,” the police official said.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) took responsibility
In a statement released on Sunday, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an outlawed organisation, took responsibility for the terrorist attack. The Quetta stadium was filled despite the explosion close to the site.
In Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi have hosted most PSL games. However, the exhibition match was held when Baloch fans pushed for Quetta to receive PSL status as well.
In the game, Zalmi was represented by both Babar and Afridi. Wahab Riaz, a fast bowler, was replaced as the Zalmi’s skipper by Babar earlier.
PSL is set to start on February 13
The opening match of the upcoming PSL season between Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars is set on Monday, February 13 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
