Sarfaraz Ahmed set to fly to Abu Dhabi for PSL 2021 after visa clearance

Former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed will travel to Abu Dhabi. He, along with six other cricketers from a total of 13 currently in Pakistan, have been issued visas to return for the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2021).

Of the six cricketers who have been granted visas, two hail from Karachi while the other four players are from Lahore. The players from Lahore will travel to Karachi to join the other cricketers before flying to Abu Dhabi.

Cricketers who have been granted visas include Sarfaraz Ahmed, Zeeshan Ashraf and Zaid Alam. Seven cricketers, including Amir Yamin, Asif Afridi and Mohammad Imran, are yet to acquire their visas to participate in the PSL.

Earlier, 13 Pakistani cricketers were denied to board the flight and had to return to their hotel rooms. Later, after consulting with the medical team of PSL 2021, Pakistan Cricket Board allowed the cricketers to send them to their respective homes.

#HBLPSL6 Update:Read more: https://t.co/XkKKYRx36J#MatchDikhao

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) May 30, 2021

According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, these players were denied permission to board the flights since they did not have the required clearances.

“Five persons from this PSL contingent were cleared to fly, while the others had to return to their hotels where they have been in quarantine since May 24,” read the report in ESPNcricinfo.

Sarfaraz Ahmed upset after being left stranded in airport

Reports in Cricket Pakistan suggest that Sarfaraz Ahmed was unhappy after being left stranded at the airport. The veteran wicket-keeper batter also called on officials at the PCB to express his displeasure over the same.

Quetta Gladiators owners slammed PCB officials for their incompetency. However, they will not stage any protests and disrupt the smooth functioning of the second half of PSL 2021.

As many as 11 players and officials on their way to the PSL, including Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, were not allowed to board commercial flights going from Lahore and Karachi to Abu Dhabi early on Sunday https://t.co/nMkG1qyk5q

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 30, 2021

The tournament will reportedly get underway from the second week of June in Abu Dhabi. Before the postponement of PSL 2021, Karachi Kings were placed at the top of the points table with six points from five outings while Peshawar Zalmi occupied the second spot.