Pakistan suspends PSL after COVID-19 strikes teams

Pakistan has suspended its flagship cricket tournament, which started last month, after seven team personnel tested positive for COVID-19, the cricket board said on Thursday.

Teams competing in the country's highest profile sporting event, in which international players also participate, were all present in the southern city of Karachi, where matches were being played.

"The health and wellbeing of all participants is paramount," a cricket board statement said.

The decision to suspend the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 6 with immediate effect was made following a meeting with the team owners, it said. The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition, which started on February 20.

A Pakistan Cricket Board official told Reuters that three international players were among the seven who tested positive.

Officials did not immediately give a resumption date.

Only 14 games have been completed so far in the 34-match tournament.

Last March, when the COVID-19 pandemic spread in Pakistan, the Board was also forced to postpone the league but by that time the league stage matches had been completed and the tournament was completed in November.

Pakistan has so far recorded 585,435 cases of COVID-19 and over 13,000 deaths.

The last two days have seen over 130 deaths, according to government data.

Pakistan imposed a lockdown only for a few weeks after the first COVID-19 case was detected in March last year, and has gradually lifted the few restrictions it had in place since then.

Authorities last week gave permission for the PSL tournament to increase crowd sizes from 20 percent to 50 percent stadium capacity.