The Pakistan Super League (PSL) faces uncertainty after the Pakistan government decided to send back Indian nationals who were part of the tournament’s broadcast crew, citing security and diplomatic concerns. This move comes after escalating cross-border tensions in the aftermath of Pahalgam terrorist attack. Pakistani terrorists are believed to be behind the killing of 26 Indian nationals, who were visiting Kashmir’s Pahalgam area.
An insider from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed that a significant portion of the PSL’s production and broadcast team—comprising over two dozen individuals—are Indian citizens. Measures are now underway to find replacements for these key technical personnel, which include engineers, production leads, camera operators, and specialists in player-tracking systems, all of whom play a vital role in the seamless delivery of PSL coverage. Following a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, the National Security Council announced that all Indian nationals in Pakistan should leave the country in the next 48 hours.
According to an informed source, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), along with the media group holding broadcast rights for the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has been actively discussing the urgent replacement of Indian personnel involved in the tournament’s production team. The same source mentioned that these Indian crew members have also been instructed to limit their movements within Pakistan until their departure arrangements are finalized.
In a separate development, just days after the tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, the live streaming platform Fancode has taken down all PSL-related content from its site. Previously an official streaming partner of the PSL in India, Fancode had aired the first 13 matches of the league, which featured top Pakistani cricketers. Reports suggest the decision to pull the content was made on Friday. Users visiting PSL pages on the platform that morning encountered error messages, and eventually, all related material was removed entirely. Prior to this, Fancode had faced backlash on social media for airing PSL matches amid growing tensions.
In response to the escalating situation and as part of a broader set of measures introduced on Wednesday, Indian authorities have now annulled all visas previously issued to Pakistani nationals, including those granted for medical reasons. Visa services for Pakistani citizens have also been suspended in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives.