As military tensions escalate between India and Pakistan, off-field diplomacy has started to shape cricketing decisions. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) declined Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) request to shift the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to Dubai, allegedly following a “nudge” from Indian cricket officials. While neither side has issued a formal statement, Cricbuzz noted that the presence and influence of Jay Shah, the former BCCI secretary and current ICC Chair, may have played a key role in the decision. “We owe it to the BCCI and Jay Bhai,” an ECB official told Cricbuzz, openly acknowledging India’s indirect role in the call. “When soldiers are dying at the border, we cannot keep quiet,” said one unnamed Indian cricket official, as quoted by Cricbuzz. The PSL was originally set to resume with eight remaining matches—four league fixtures and four playoffs. But after publicly announcing the tournament’s relocation to Dubai, the PCB was forced into a U-turn within hours, eventually postponing the event altogether. PSL postponed amid player safety The official reason given by the PCB for halting the PSL was concern for overseas players, who were reportedly unwilling to continue under the current political environment. “We, at the PCB, also have sincere regard for the mental well-being of participating players and the sentiments of our foreign players, and we respect the concerns of their families who want to see them back home,” said a PCB statement. Cricbuzz reported that the ECB, after initially agreeing to host the matches, later backtracked, first by denying access to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and then quoting a fee that was beyond the PCB’s budget. Read: Bangladesh tour to Pakistan in doubt? BCB finally breaks silence Mubashir Usmani, the ECB secretary general, is originally from Mumbai and shares a strong relationship with BCCI officials. With relations between the BCCI and ECB remaining cordial, and India’s silent sway in the background, Pakistan’s hopes of moving the PSL to the UAE have seemingly hit a dead end.