Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain opened up about the intense fear and emotional distress foreign cricketers experienced during the sudden suspension of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), following escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan.
According to Rishad, the situation grew dire after India launched a strong response to a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on May 7, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. As tensions soared, airspace disruptions and security risks left players shaken, leading to the indefinite postponement of the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was left scrambling for alternatives, initially proposing to shift the remaining matches to the UAE. However, the Emirates Cricket Board rejected the idea, leaving PCB with little choice but to call off the league. The decision came just hours after the Indian Premier League (IPL) also hit pause for a week due to the same geopolitical concerns.
Overseas PSL players, including Rishad who plays for Lahore Qalandars, were quickly flown out of Pakistan on chartered flights bound for the UAE. The fear, however, lingered well beyond their departure.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Rishad shared a chilling detail: “We had just landed in Dubai when we found out that a missile had struck the airport we flew out of—just 20 minutes after our takeoff. It was terrifying. That kind of news stays with you.”
He added that his family was understandably anxious. “Whenever I travel to play, they worry about my safety. Hearing about explosions and missile attacks made them even more tense. I tried to calm them down as best as I could.”
Rishad recalled the severe emotional toll the situation took on many of his fellow players. England’s Tom Curran, he said, broke down after learning the airport had shut down unexpectedly. “He was crying uncontrollably—it took two or three people to calm him down,” Rishad recounted.
The fear was so intense that New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, also part of the Lahore Qalandars squad, told Rishad he had no intention of ever returning to Pakistan. “Players like Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, Tom Curran—they were all deeply rattled. After we landed in Dubai, Mitchell looked at me and said, ‘I’m never coming back to Pakistan again—not after this.’”
Rishad also revealed that the PCB had initially tried to move the remaining matches to Karachi. A meeting was called to gauge the foreign players’ concerns. “The Chairman did his best to assure us, even suggesting Karachi as a safer option. But later we found out there had been two drone strikes in the city just a day earlier—something he hadn’t mentioned at the time.”
Eventually, all the overseas players agreed that Dubai was the only viable option. “The PCB Chairman ultimately supported our decision and helped make the transition as smooth as possible. Thankfully, we all reached Dubai safely. We’re grateful for that.”
