English players consider exiting Pakistan after Operation Sindoor response to Kashmir attack
English players involved in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) want to leave the country following the precision strikes by India during Operation Sindoor in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, which claimed 26 innocent lives.
Hours after the midnight strike by Indian armed forces on terror infrastructures in the country, the Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday vowed to continue holding the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League despite India’s attack and further escalation in the hostilities between the two countries.
But with fears that the conflict could escalate into war between the nations, the English players in PSL face a decision over whether to remain in the country.
Seven England players — Sam Billings, James Vince, Tom Curran, David Willey, Chris Jordan, Tom Kohler-Canmore and Luke Wood – are involved in PSL.
According to the report carried by www.telecomasia.net, Willey and Jordan have communicated with their franchise Multan Sultans that they wish to leave for home since their team is already out of the playoffs and they have only one match remaining.
Sources, quoted in the report, said England and Wales Cricket Board and Professional Cricketers Association have been in touch with the players and have still not directed them to leave, but can change that on a travel advisory by the UK government.
Meanwhile, other foreign players, especially those from Australia and New Zealand, have shown reservations over security in the wake of Indian attacks. But the sources refused to rule out withdrawal from the league by some players.
“David Warner, Mitchell Owen, Riley Meredith and Ben Dwarshuis are from Australia, while New Zealand’s Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Tim Siefert and Kane Williamson are in Pakistan and have shown reservations, but PCB have convinced them of foolproof security arrangements,” said sources, quoted in the report.
Five matches of the League phase, as well as the four play-offs, remain in the PSL’s tenth edition.
The report quoted sources as saying that there are chances that the play-off matches, including the final scheduled for Lahore, could be shifted to either Karachi or Rawalpindi due to Lahore’s proximity to the Indian border.
In the early hours of May 7, India launched precision strikes targeting nine high-value terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), in response to the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives—25 Indians and one Nepali national.
The air and missile strikes focused only on terror infrastructure linked with internationally designated groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Care was taken to avoid civilian casualties or damage to Pakistan’s military assets, underlining India’s commitment to strategic restraint even in retaliation.
