[Report] PSL's foreign players unhappy with the strictness of the Bio Secure Bubble

[Savak]

Apparently this is why the likes of Ben Ducket and Alex Hales have pulled out. This is why the likes of Faf, Narine, Moen Ali and co chose to play the BPL over the PSL.

The foreign players and even the local players are pleading with the PCB to ease the Bio Secure Bubble and allow the players to be in an open air environment and allow them to visit restaurants, shopping malls, to play golf, tourist destinations as the players cannot be locked up in the hotels playing Ludo, Carrom, Play Station or watching tv all day long.

Pretty hard position for the PCB to be in. I can understand why they adopted a strict bio secure bubble given the experiences in the last 2 PSL's in Pakistan.

This time the bio secure bubble is very strict. Every team is being restricted to their own floors in the hotel. The teams have seperate times to access the pool, resteraunts, gym area and are not being allowed to mingle with other team players face to face.

 

[adil79]

Lol @ bio secure bubble. I am pretty sure its more of a security concern than covid19 pandemic at this point.

 

[silentkiller187]

yes i mentioned this in the other thread in regards to hales pulling out, i have been told there are a few more ready to leave, players are not even allowed to mix and play carrom or ludo for fear of spreading covid. Add to this the security restrictions already in place for pak and you wonder why top stars don't want to come to pakistan.

 

[Savak]

TBH i sympathize with the players. We don't have to go through the bio secure bubble. After a while, sticking to the same routine, eating the same kind of food and being locked up in a facility can take a toll. Anyone will want to bolt and get out after a while.

 

[Savak]

I think the PCB should require all the players to be Vaccinated. The ones who are vaccinated can be trusted to mingle freely and the ones who are not vaccinated have to be put in the Bubble

 

[shaz619]

The players know the deal when they sign up, next time PCB need to make sure they are penalised for pulling out. What a bunch of cowards, can’t tolerate a few weeks playing a sport for a living and get paid for it, just begs the question how they must have handled lockdown in general. This just suggests they are too weak mentally, Pakistan lived out of a suit case in the UAE and these pansies can’t tolerate a few weeks, truth is they are either sissy’s or it’s a convenient move to rest well before the IPL circus

 

[Concerned]

Last time PCB were criticised being too relaxed and this year they are too strict.

A firm approach is needed to ensure the tournament finishes safely.

 

[silentkiller187]

The players know the deal when they sign up, next time PCB need to make sure they are penalised for pulling out. What a bunch of cowards, can’t tolerate a few weeks playing a sport for a living and get paid for it, just begs the question how they must have handled lockdown in general. This just suggests they are too weak mentally, Pakistan lived out of a suit case in the UAE and these pansies can’t tolerate a few weeks, truth is they are either sissy’s or it’s a convenient move to rest well before the IPL circus

i think its easy to assume that, however from what i have heard in karachi teams had whole hotels, that was the agreement , they had access to golf courses spas etc, in lahore its completely different, and they are confined to their rooms. This is their job at the end of the day if my company sent me to work in sub standard conditions i would refuse to work, i wouldn't think oo someone in pakistan or another 3rd world country would do anything to trade places with me so i should put up with it, dont forget these players earn good money even without psl , this just tops up their wages, they are not coming for humanitarian reasons.

 

[Savak]

The players know the deal when they sign up, next time PCB need to make sure they are penalised for pulling out. What a bunch of cowards, can’t tolerate a few weeks playing a sport for a living and get paid for it, just begs the question how they must have handled lockdown in general. This just suggests they are too weak mentally, Pakistan lived out of a suit case in the UAE and these pansies can’t tolerate a few weeks, truth is they are either sissy’s or it’s a convenient move to rest well before the IPL circus

Tbh pakistani players in the UAE were not confined to their hotel rooms.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Last time PCB were criticised being too relaxed and this year they are too strict.

A firm approach is needed to ensure the tournament finishes safely.

This is pretty much it. The PCB is trying to repair the damage caused by the disastrous actions taken previously.

They are doubling down on restrictions while the rest of the world is opening up.

 

[Saj]

Too soft last year
Too strict this year.

No win situation for PCB.

If players are leaving PSL due to the protocols being too strict, then the PCB has nothing to apologise for. The rules are there to ensure the safety and health of everyone, not to bow to the needs of some overseas players.

 

[Snowflake]

That is not the reason for some players opting for BPL vs PSL. As sad as it may sound, many players would still feel a little anxious playing in Pakistan due to security concerns. If there is an alternative, like BPL, that offers even a little less money, why not opt for it for peace of mind?

That is what is.

 

[Manunited18]

Pcb need to get the ballance right. I can fully understand after last years shenanigans the focus was to keep everything under control this year, but not in the expense of extreme rules.

 

[cricketerB94]

I think cricket authorities should not take this covid disease too much highly now. The vaccines are out, the boosters are out, the death ratio is very low now. They should lift these bubble restrictions of covid and should move on normally now. In Pakistan, I think the security bubble is enough for the players.

 

[Saj]

One of the things that has annoyed some overseas players is that a lot of players were promised golf trips but it never happened.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This winter has been my first proper experience of hotel bubbles. It felt right for me personally to spend some time at home and get myself ready for the summer. Good luck <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamQuetta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TeamQuetta</a> for the rest of the comp, I’ll be cheering on from home! &#55357;&#56476;</p>— Ben Duckett (@BenDuckett1) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenDuckett1/status/1493295921207128065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[hitthestump]

Too soft last year
Too strict this year.

No win situation for PCB.

If players are leaving PSL due to the protocols being too strict, then the PCB has nothing to apologise for. The rules are there to ensure the safety and health of everyone, not to bow to the needs of some overseas players.

Exactly this. If you don't like it, don't come.

A breach here could put the whole Aussie tour at risk. They are waiting for any excuse not to come. It seems like we have our priorities straight with this one.

 

[Major]

Nothing wrong.

Top stuff by pcb for succesfully having held the psl in pakistan. When we were too leniat alex hales was the first one to run off back to uk....

Its for their own safety and they knew this when they signed up. These guys get paid its not like they are here for free.

Being paid to live in hotels aswell.. they want relaxation go to bpl just around the corner

 

[Major]

The players know the deal when they sign up, next time PCB need to make sure they are penalised for pulling out. What a bunch of cowards, can’t tolerate a few weeks playing a sport for a living and get paid for it, just begs the question how they must have handled lockdown in general. This just suggests they are too weak mentally, Pakistan lived out of a suit case in the UAE and these pansies can’t tolerate a few weeks, truth is they are either sissy’s or it’s a convenient move to rest well before the IPL circus

I think we are paying the price of hiring english players to be honest ....

They have seem to be very fragile..

 

[ElRaja]

it is what it is, the pcb should enforce the bubbles, and the players should leave if they dont like it. no one is irreplaceable, the show goes on.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Lol what do you guys want? That bubble is less strict so that there are more outbreaks and the tournament is cancelled again? PCB is right to have all bases covered because the cost of the tournament getting postponed is much higher than a few players pulling out.

 

[Firebat]

Haha, it's too strict? It is strict literally for your own safety and so that you don't want to leave!

They would be the first ones running home scared if any outbreak did happen, and now they've run off anyway. Ridiculous stuff )

 

[offstump]

Who cares, this is the current situation and all precautions have to take place. Next year we’ll be back to normal and the likes of Duckett and Hales can go have Butt Karahi after the game then pull out of the tournament due to violent diarrhea.

 

[Energy]

Not sure where these guys are staying in Lahore, but if it's PC, Avari or Nishat, they're very indoor hotels and have zero outdoor activities. It can take a toll when living in a bubble.

Can the restaurants around the Qaddafi stadium be used by the players? The PCB should also look to invest in some cultural outlets in and around that area and during any series, provide full access to wander off.

 

[HappyWarsFan]

Not sure where these guys are staying in Lahore, but if it's PC, Avari or Nishat, they're very indoor hotels and have zero outdoor activities. It can take a toll when living in a bubble.

Can the restaurants around the Qaddafi stadium be used by the players? The PCB should also look to invest in some cultural outlets in and around that area and during any series, provide full access to wander off.

Absolutely not. That is a huge security risk.

 

[ARK Rafay]

There's nothing PCB could've done except called the tournament off. There is no right solution at the moment.

 

[shamaan]

I just think they should have provided more activities to do inside the hotel.

 

[Babeikh]

The world we live in has made an already difficult situation even more difficult. Obviously because of security the players can't just wander off get into a taxi and turn up in Gawal Mandi on a Friday night. It could be done but it would need to be arranged with security etc. Covid has made it impossible.

Hopefully the covid situation will soon improve and maybe by next PSL the players can be taken to places e.g. i'm pretty sure pre covid some players were taken to the beach outside Karachi.

Will the security situation and perception ever be such that players can just go out and do as they please? Not for a decade at least?

 

[sweep_shot]

Not sure why players are complaining much.

Since COVID cases are rising, strict bubble is understandable. It is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[princeuk]

I can understand the frustration, but considering what happened last year can we blame anyone...When Erin is interviewing her husband ben she is forced to maintain her distance even with her hubby, PSL just cant afford to take risks, its only 8 days to go so lets keep the momentum going.

 

[cricketerB94]

Faulkner, Rutherford, Tom K Cadmore are also leaving. And the Afghanistan players will leave after today due to national duty.

So the PZ and IU teams will be very depleted in the play offs. Lahore's bowling will also effect due to Rashid's absence.

Anyways, with all these players leaving (due to personal reasons), I think some thing has gone wrong this season due to which the players are not happy with PCB and PSL authorities and even put their selection in danger for next seasons. I mean the players like Faulkner and Rutherford do not even play in IPL, so this league was there big financial security and they have left it midway due to personal reasons.

 

[finalfantasy7]

humayoun ahmed khan official twitter reported that faulkner was also miss behaved with the airport security officers.

farid khan twitter has the picture of faulkner helmet stuck onto the chandelier - bottom grill was caught onto one of the chandelier lights

 

[realitygaf]

Faulkner, Rutherford, Tom K Cadmore are also leaving. And the Afghanistan players will leave after today due to national duty.

So the PZ and IU teams will be very depleted in the play offs. Lahore's bowling will also effect due to Rashid's absence.

Anyways, with all these players leaving (due to personal reasons), I think some thing has gone wrong this season due to which the players are not happy with PCB and PSL authorities and even put their selection in danger for next seasons. I mean the players like Faulkner and Rutherford do not even play in IPL, so this league was there big financial security and they have left it midway due to personal reasons.

Pakistani players have been playing ALOT better overall than the foreign players. I can bet the unselected youth cricketers would play better even

 

[Bewal Express]

The PSL cant win, if there positive tests then it will be blamed. Overall a good job

 

[mastimasti]

Last year many on here blamed the pcb for positive test, Hales had some tweets and now there's complaints the bubble is TOO secure. These snowflakes should be fined 90% of their fees.

 

[Markhor]

The bubble HAS to be secure because if there's another abandonment - unlike last year there's literally no other slot in the crammed calendar to reschedule it to.

PCB would face another financial blow. Yes it's not easy but millions around the world have made bigger sacrifices during the pandemic.

Players need to think of the bigger picture.

 

[finalfantasy7]

i know this isn the psl but Katich resigns as assistant coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad- only appointed in december 2021