It had been confirmed earlier that Bangladesh cricketers Rishad Hossain and Nahid Rana would leave Rawalpindi, Pakistan, for the United Arab Emirates sometime on Friday night. That plan went into action as scheduled. Around midnight Bangladesh time, both cricketers safely departed Pakistan and arrived in the UAE.
They were accompanied by two Bangladeshi sports journalists, Tasfiq Palok and Mashroor Prottay, who were in Pakistan to cover the Pakistan Super League (PSL). In a chilling turn of events, just two hours after the group left Rawalpindi, the city was reportedly hit by an Indian airstrike.
Tasfiq Palok, a journalist from Crickfrenzy covering the PSL, shared the experience:
“Exactly two hours after we left Rawalpindi, India bombed the city. Without a doubt, it was the Almighty who protected us from a major disaster.”
In recent days, tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated, with both sides engaging in drone attacks, missile launches, and airstrikes. The deteriorating situation has now led to the suspension of both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the PSL.
Initially, there were plans to relocate the remainder of the PSL to the UAE. Acting on that plan, 42 foreign cricketers—including Rishad and Nahid—along with all coaching and support staff, and match officials, left Pakistan for Dubai on Friday night.
However, shortly afterwards, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that the PSL had been suspended indefinitely.
