Babar Azam, Shahid Afridi safely moved after blast near stadium before PSL 2023 exhibition match

After a terrorist assault occurred a few kilometres from where they were playing on Sunday, top Pakistani cricketers, including captain Babar Azam and Shahid Afridi, among others, were brought to the safety of the dressing room. 

An explosion in the vicinity of the Police Lines temporarily stopped a Pakistan Super League (PSL) exhibition game that was taking place at the Nawab Akbar Bugti Stadium. Five people were hurt. According to a senior police official, all on-site rescue efforts had been completed, and the injured had been transported to a hospital.

On Sunday, February 5, Afridi and Babar played an exhibition match for the Peshawar Zalmi versus the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023 at the Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti Cricket Stadium.

Concerns about the PSL exhibition match lingered for some time before a 'green signal' was granted.

“As soon as the explosion happened, as a precautionary measure, the match was stopped and players taken to the dressing room for a while. Later, after the green signal, the match resumed,” the police official said.

The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) issued a statement on Sunday claiming responsibility for the terror attack. Despite the nearby explosion, the Quetta stadium was filled.

The majority of PSL matches in Pakistan have taken place in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi. The exhibition match was held after Baloch fans demanded that Quetta be given PSL status as well.

The Peshawar Zalmi team was represented in the match by both Babar and Afridi. Babar was previously chosen as Zalmi's captain, succeeding fast bowler Wahab Riaz.

The 2019 PSL season is set to begin on Monday, February 13 with a match between Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The Sultans, led by Mohammad Rizwan, were defeated by the Qalandars in the PSL final, making the Qalandars the reigning champions.

Also Read: Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf passes away