PSL 2026 Faces Fresh Threat, Pakistan Taliban Warns Overseas Players, Says 'Safety Cannot Be Guaranteed'
· Free Press Journal
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known as the Pakistan Taliban, have asked overseas players playing in the upcoming PSL 2026 to withdraw from the tournament. In a strongly worded statement, the armed militant group has pointed out that under the current climate, their 'safety cannot be guaranteed'. PSL has already faced heavy setbacks, with the tournament restricted to just two venues with no spectators.
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"We wish to convey a clear and urgent message to all participants of the PSL, especially the foreign players: The current internal security and political landscape of the country is volatile and precarious. In a climate where military operations and civil unrest dominate significant portions of the territory, the safety of international athletes cannot be guaranteed," the Pakistan Taliban said in a statement circulating on social media.
Keeps getting worse for the PSL
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) March 23, 2026
Armed opposition groups in #Pakistan have warned all foreign PSL players to avoid travelling to Pakistan, stating their security cannot be guaranteed
The PSL is now being played:
❌ Behind closed doors
❌ Without foreign players
❌ Amid active… pic.twitter.com/94Po2qY5mM
The TTP called the PSL a mockery to all the lives lost in the state led violence across the country. The militant group stated that while they weren't opposed to the sport, it was an image of normalcy that they want to dispel.
"While we are not inherently opposed to healthy sporting activities, we refuse to tolerate the state's hypocrisy. It is unacceptable to promote an image of "normalcy" through cricket matches in one part of the country while state-sponsored atrocities continue unabated in another," it stated.
The UN Security Council lists TTP as a militant organistan with links to Al-Qaida. It adds another element of risk to the PSL 2026, which kicks off in three days time.
PSL 2026 in Crisis: No Fans Allowed, PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi Confirms Only 2 Venues Amid Pak-Afghan FalloutPSL 2026 was originally an expanded season with new teams and matches to be played across 6 venues. However, the ongoing West Asia crisis and Pakistan's own conflict with Afghanistan, PCB have moved the tournament to Karachi and Lahore.