The tournament is scheduled to begin on March 26 and will feature eight teams competing across 44 matches.

Speaking at a press conference, as quoted by Dawn News, Naqvi said the tournament would proceed as planned, despite the difficult decision to bar fans from stadiums.

“On one hand, 25,000 to 30,000 people would gather at stadiums, while on the other, we are asking people to limit their movement,” he said. “Until this crisis ends, we will not allow crowds in the stadiums.”

Naqvi acknowledged that the decision was not easy but necessary under the current circumstances.

Venues reduced

The PSL was initially set to be held across multiple cities, including Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar and Faisalabad.

However, the matches will now be restricted to Karachi and Lahore.

Assuring fans, Naqvi said those who had already purchased tickets would receive refunds within 72 hours.

“We cannot postpone the tournament as there is no available window later in the year,” he added, noting that the decision was taken in consultation with all franchises.

The austerity measures have been placed as an indirect effect of Israel's and USA’s war with Iran. The resultant fuel crisis has forced the government to limit the movement of public in the country.