Samit Patel arrives in Pakistan as PSL playoffs loom

Lahore Qalandars’ all-rounder Samit Patel was the first foreign cricketer to reach Pakistan, following his arrival in Karachi on Friday, for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) playoffs, which had been put on hold due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Foreign players will continue to arrive till November 10 and will proceed to a 48-hour quarantine period. Each cricketer involved in the PSL playoffs will be tested twice for the coronavirus.

The fifth edition of the PSL was put on hold after 40 matches due to the global spread of the coronavirus. The playoffs are currently scheduled to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi from November 14 to November 17.

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Multan Sultans, Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi have qualified for the playoff stage. Pakistan players, who represent the franchises in the playoffs, will join their respective sides after the completion of the ongoing limited-overs series against Zimbabwe.

Teams that have completed their isolation periods will begin their training on Monday. They will also take part in intra-squad practice matches.

A total of 21 foreign stars have confirmed their participation in the remaining four matches of the event. The players also include South Africa’s Faf du Plessis, who will be making his PSL debut while playing for Peshawar Zalmi.