Two-time defending champion Lahore Qalandars finally got their first point in the Pakistan Super League after rain disrupted the country’s premier T20 tournament on Saturday.
Both Lahore and Peshawar Zalmi got one point each after the umpire called the game off at 4 p.m. because of heavy rain in Rawalpindi.
Lahore has lost six straight games in the absence of key Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who was ruled out before the tournament because of a back injury.
The evening game between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators was also scrapped and both teams got a point.
The match was slated to start at 7pm with the toss taking place half an hour before but the covers were still in the middle of Pindi Cricket Stadium with potholes all over the outfield.
The teams of Islamabad and Quetta didn’t arrive at the stadium and stayed at the hotel. There was a heavy downpour in Rawalpindi and Islamabad yesterday as well.
Meanwhile, one of the Met Office officials when approached said: “Chances of rain with thunder-storms are likely for Saturday. Rain could pour in at any time during the next two days. Saturday could be the worst hit day.”
Pindi Stadium always provides a packed house when it comes to international matches or PSL engagements. Crowd presence here always makes the occasion festive and worth remembering at the venue. Around ten thousand temporary chairs have been installed at the Stadium for the nine matches that the Stadium will host during the next ten days.
Two of the highest totals — Multan Sultans scoring 262 against Quetta Gladiators and Quetta scoring 253 against Multan in the same match — in PSL history were scored at Pindi.
However, the PCB has decided to remove the “flat pitches” tag associated with the stadium this year as the cricketing body has instructed the curators to make pitches that would support bowlers as much as batters.
