Explained: How Pakistan put PSL’s overseas players in harm’s way during conflict with India

The armed conflict between India and Pakistan that broke out in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack led to the suspension of the Indian Premier League as well as the Pakistan Super League. India responded to the deadly attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam last month by launching ‘ Operation Sindoor’ – a series of co-ordinated strikes aimed at terror camps located in Pakistan as well as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).

After Islamabad responded to the attacks on terror camps with indiscriminate firing at civilian areas in Jammu and Kashmir including Poonch, the Indian armed forces escalated their response to target air defence and radar systems at multiple locations inside Pakistan. They also struck several key bases belonging to the Pakistan Air Force, causing significant damage in the process and giving India a significant advantage in the conflict.

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Among the PAF air bases targeted by India was the Nur Khan air base located in Chaklala near Rawalpindi – where the headquarters of the Pakistan Army is located, which is also close to capital Islamabad.

Cricketers, broadcasters board charter flight from Nur Khan air base hours before missile strike

And according to reports by Australian media outlets such as Sydney Morning Herald, Pakistan allegedly put international cricketers participating in the 10th season of the PSL in harm’s way by having them board a charter flight from the PAF Base in Chaklala instead of the Islamabad International Airport, located 44 kilometres away.

The overseas players, including Australians Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Ashton Turner, and Mitch Owen and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, as well as broadcasters flew from the air base hours before it came under retaliatory fire from the Indian side. The charter flight departed the air base late on Friday, 9 May while the Indian missiles struck the key military facility on Saturday morning.

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Imagery released by a Chinese satellite firm (MIZAZVISION) helps spotlight damage at Pakistan’s Nur Khan Airbase - the Indian Air Force precision strike appears to have focused on disabling infrastructure & ground support vehicles present on site at the time pic.twitter.com/f4q2OTinCp

— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) May 11, 2025

The players as well as broadcasters were escorted to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from where they departed to their respective countries.

Besides the Nur Khan facility, the Indian armed forces also targeted airbases in Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, Jacobabad and Bholari – located in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. Additionally, the cricket stadium in Rawalpindi was struck by a drone hours before the match between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi on Thursday, which ultimately led to the season getting suspended.

One therefore, would question the PCB’s wisdom of arranging a charter flight from a city that, along with Lahore, had come under attack during the conflict instead of having them fly out from a relatively safer city.

Pakistan has also come under criticism for opening its air space to civilian air crafts while targeting India with drone strikes, effectively using non-military flights as a “human shield” of sorts to protect itself against Indian fire.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had suspended the 10th PSL season after the Emirates Cricket Board denied its request to host remaining games in the UAE. The PCB is planning to restart the season, with the remaining matches taking place in Lahore and Islamabad, though a revised schedule is yet to be announced.