Mohsin Naqvi with PSL Trophy. Image Credits: AFPThe Pakistan Super League (PSL 2026) got underway on March 26 with the Lahore Qalandars defeating the new addition Hyderabad Kingsmen in their opening game. The match was played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, behind closed doors and without any opening ceremony.Both of the first games, which pitted the reigning champions Lahore Qalandars against the Hyderabad Kingsmen and the Karachi Kings against the Quetta Gladiators, took place in empty stadiums.Why is PSL 2026 being played without any fans in the stadium?Mohsin Naqvi, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, had revealed that the PSL 2026 will be played without the fans in stadiums as the country was dealing with a fuel crisis due to the West Asia conflict.Explaining the measures, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said: “The Prime Minister requested all of Pakistan to restrict their movements because of the fuel crisis. We closed schools and instituted work from home and increased the number of Eid holidays. We don’t know how long this war will last. Looking at all of this and after discussions with security agencies, we decided that the PSL would continue as per the original schedule. But we can’t ask people to restrict their movements and then have 30,000 people in stadiums for PSL games every day.”Also Read: PSL 2026 Live Streaming In India, Live Telecast In India- Karachi vs Quetta, Match 2“We decided that as long as this crisis is ongoing, we will not have crowds at matches. This was a difficult decision, but it needed to be made. The opening ceremony will also be cancelled,” added Naqvi, who is also an interior minister in Pakistan.It was also announced that the PSL 2026 would be restricted to just two venues—Karachi and Lahore.PSL franchise owners appeal to Pakistan PM to allow fans to attend matches in PSL 2026.However, as per a report in GeoSuperTV, the PSL 2026 franchise owners have collectively appealed to the Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif that the fans should be allowed to watch the matches in the stadiums. Salman Iqbal of Karachi Kings, Javed Afridi of Peshawar Zalmi, Atif Rana of the Lahore Qalandars, Ahsan Tahir of the Rawalpindis, Ali Naqvi of Islamabad United, and Fawad Sarwar, owner of the Hyderabad Kingsmen, all took to social media to share their woes and stated that without the fans in the stadium, the PSL 2026 was lackluster.Here is what the PSL franchise owners requested of the Pakistan PM Shehbaz SharifThe majority of the PSL 2026 owners want the Pakistan PM to intervene and ask the PCB to allow fans to visit the stadiums in Lahore and Karachi and cheer for their teams.Javed Afridi @JAfridi10 The PSL is an inseparable part of the lives of millions of Pakistanis & a powerful source of unity for the entire nation. The passion, colours and presence of our fans are the true soul of this league without them, its spirit feels diminished. I humbly request Hon’ble Prime atifrana @atifnaeemrana PSL has grown into a celebration of cricket, powered by its people. But without fans, it feels incomplete. The fans are the true spirit of the Pakistan Super League. We respectfully urge Honourable Prime Minister @CMShehbaz CM Maryam Nawaz @MaryamNSharif @thePSLt20 to allow Ahsan Tahir @M_Ahsan_Tahir There is no cricket without fans! I humbly request the Honourable Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif @CMShehbaz to consider allowing fans back into stadiums for @thePSLt20 . I believe, as a nation, those who can afford to attend step forward to support those who cannot, so that Ali Naqvi @AliNaqvi808 The energy of its fans in the stadium has always been the heartbeat of the PSL. The @thePSLt20 is not complete without its fans in the stadium. We humbly request the Honourable Prime Minister @CMShehbaz to kindly allow fans back into the stadiums. Let the true spirit of the . Hyderabad Kingsmen @HHKingsmen Message from Team Owner, Mr. Fawad Sarwar: We deeply missed the energy of the crowd in our first #HBLPSL game. While the teams bring the heat, it’s the fans in the stands who bring the passion and heart to @thePSLt20. As the owner of a team proud to finally represent It remains to be seen whether the Pakistan PM intervenes and asks the PCB to allow the fans into the stadiums for the PSL 2026, when the country has put out several restrictions on the residents and companies amidst the global shortage of fuel.Also Read: Multan Sultans vs Islamabad United Head to Head Records- PSL 2026, Match 4
