Low crowd attendance in Karachi cause of concern ahead of PSL final

• Karachi leg of PSL 9 witnessed low crowd attendance.
• The organizers are not willing to relocate the playoffs.
• Multan Sultans marched to the final of the HBL PSL 9.

What’s the situation with PSL crowds in Karachi?

When Usman Khan hit a single down to mid-off, confirming Multan Sultans’ spot in their fourth consecutive PSL final, it was met with an eerie silence at the National Stadium Karachi. It wasn’t because the spectators were hoping for a different result, but rather because there was hardly any crowd present for the match at all. The two top teams of the tournament so far – Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi – exchanged handshakes in front of an almost empty stadium, an unsettling setting for a league that has positioned itself as the world’s second best.

The sparse crowds in Karachi, in stark contrast to the other three venues, has been a focal point this tournament, but it’s been highlighted even more since Ramzan started earlier this week. This meant the games kicked off at 9pm local time, ending well after midnight to ensure there was a sufficient gap following iftar at sunset.

With all the remaining matches scheduled in Karachi, the prospect of knockout games – and the final – taking place in front of a largely vacant stadium has raised concerns among those involved in the PSL, considering how detrimental it would be to the tournament’s prestige.

No question of shifting remaining knockouts elsewhere

ESPNcricinfo spoke to several officials involved with the PSL who defended the decision to hold the playoffs in Karachi. “We have moved to a home and away format,” a senior official said “and Karachi is home to the [Karachi] Kings and the [Quetta] Gladiators.”

While the Kings have been knocked out of the tournament, it is understood that any possibility of relocating any remaining games out of Karachi has been definitively dismissed. The logistical hurdles of such a move have been deemed to be insurmountable. While venue changes at short notice have occurred in the past, most notably in 2019 when a flare-up in tensions between India and Pakistan led to the final set of games being moved from Lahore to Karachi, the PCB does not believe such a move is feasible given the tight schedule.

Why haven’t more people shown up?

An official acknowledged that the turnout was surprisingly low, but told cricket news agency they anticipated a larger crowd at the remaining three games. Citing the popularity of Ramzan cricket in Karachi, they said “observing the first few fasts in Ramzan is tough”, and as spectators get into a routine, they are more likely to be able to attend in larger numbers. However, it is unclear how much of a difference that makes given the next two games are on consecutive days which immediately follow the first qualifier, and are still very much within the first week of Ramzan. The fact that they fall on the weekend, though, may make some difference.

Is a Monday final the issue for PSL?

But the most perplexing issue, and one for which official explanations have been scarce, pertains to the day of the PSL final. Breaking with all previous tradition and standard procedure to ensure finals take place on the weekend, the PSL has a rest day this Sunday, with the final happening on the following Monday – a working day – instead.

Sources within the PSL’s organization insisted there were multiple reasons for the unconventional scheduling. They cited a desire to accommodate maximum home games for all teams “without breaking momentum”, while also trying to avoid back-to-back fixtures for one of the sides playing the final. There is a confident assumption within the PCB that interest in the PSL final can be taken for granted, regardless of the day, time, or city it is held in.

The next three days will reveal how well-founded that confidence is.

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