PSL 5 matches were open to legal betting outside Pakistan

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) gave their commercial rights to a company who then signed a deal with a foreign betting company for the now-suspended edition of the competition, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Friday.

Bets were placed online from countries where the practice is legal, during PSL 5.

The PCB, when contacted on Friday, said “one of our commercial partners made the deal with the betting site”.

“Bets could only be placed from those countries, including England, where the practice is legal,” a PCB spokesperson clarified.

The spokesperson also confirmed that the commercial partner struck a formal deal with the firm and gave it full betting rights of PSL matches. “Yes, it did happen. But betting was not allowed from Pakistan because it is a crime here,” the representative added.

According to sources, the company live-streamed matches of PSL 5 and the visitors of the website could place bets on them.

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PSL’s entire fifth edition was scheduled to be held in Pakistan for the first time. However, due to the coronovirus outbreak around the world, the event was suspended just before the semi-finals to ensure the safety of everyone involved with the tournament.

The move came after a foreign player, who travelled back to his country, reported symptoms of the coronavirus.

The PCB then conducted the tests of 128 players, officials and support staff but all the reports came out negative.

The PCB hasn’t yet announced the schedule for the remainder of the event.