Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed that fans will finally be allowed to return to the stadiums for the playoff stage. This decision comes shortly after Naqvi revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had granted approval for spectators to be present at the final, scheduled for May 3 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Building on that announcement, the Pakistan Cricket Board has now extended the permission to include every playoff fixture. Notably, the 2026 edition of the PSL has been unlike any other. Following fuel conservation measures introduced by the government amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, the entire league stage was conducted behind closed doors.
In addition to restrictions on attendance, the tournament also underwent logistical changes. Earlier, the tournament was planned to be hosted across six cities; however, the event was brought down to only two venues – Lahore and Karachi.
"Just had a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and I'm pleased to share that we have secured his approval for public attendance in all three PSL playoff matches as well. However, this comes with an important condition from his side that fans are strongly encouraged to use public transport or minimise fuel consumption while attending the matches, in line with the ongoing national austerity efforts," Naqvi wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Peshwar Zalmi, led by Babar Azam, will take on Islamabad United in the qualifier at Karachi on Tuesday. The winner of this clash will storm into the final.