The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to shorten the ongoing National Women’s Championship following a fire incident at a hotel in Karachi where several players were staying. The incident, which occurred on Monday, led to a swift evacuation of five players who were at the hotel at the time. Fortunately, no players were injured.
In a statement, the PCB confirmed that the affected players were promptly relocated to the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre. The board emphasized that player safety was the top priority in the decision to truncate the tournament.
“While no players were harmed in the fire, the board, in consultation with relevant authorities, decided to suspend the remaining matches due to safety concerns and logistical challenges,” the PCB said. “Despite efforts to find alternate accommodation, the ongoing Ideas Defence Exhibition in Karachi made it impossible to secure hotel rooms that met the necessary standards for the teams.”
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As a result, the tournament will proceed with a final between the Invincibles and the Stars, the top two teams after four matches each. The PCB will announce the date and venue of the final in due course.
This incident comes as a setback for the Women’s Championship, but the PCB has reassured fans and stakeholders that player well-being remains its foremost concern.