In Pakistan, four Australian cricket players barely avoided a possible missile strike. Just hours before Indian soldiers allegedly targeted the same military installation, Ashton Turner, Mitch Owen, Sean Abbott, and Ben Dwarshuis were evacuated to Dubai on a charter airplane, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
It is anticipated that many Australian cricket players who have been playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Indian Premier League (IPL) will return to Australia by Sunday. The growing tension between India and Pakistan caused both events to be postponed.
Also Read - 'Most importantly...': Arun Dhumal gives big update on IPL 2025 resumption after ceasefire announcement
With assistance from the BCCI, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Travis Head—all under contract for the IPL—were able to organize flights back to Australia when the lucrative T20 competition was suspended due to air-raid threats near Dharamshala in northern India.
Following the tournament's official postponement, Australian PSL players also left Pakistan safely on Friday night (local time). A charter flight for Australian and international players was organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board and left Islamabad for Dubai. On Saturday, arrangements were being made to arrange connecting flights from Dubai to the players' respective home nations.
Mitch Owen, Ashton Turner, Ben Dwarshuis, and Sean Abbott, however, had a very close call.
India reportedly launched missile strikes against three Pakistani airbases on Saturday morning local time, just hours after the international players left on their charter flight. One of the targets was the Nur Khan airbase, which is the same facility from which the players, officials, and broadcasters had flown out to the United Arab Emirates about three hours earlier, according to the report.
According to local media accounts, the attack on Nur Khan, which is roughly 10 kilometers from Islamabad and close to Pakistan's military headquarters, caused numerous explosions and fires. There was tremendous panic in the neighboring neighborhoods as witnesses reported seeing smoke and flames.
Several Australian players were understandably spooked by the near miss, even though David Warner had already returned to Australia and was not on the flight.
“Sean and Ben are relieved to be in Dubai now,” Peter Lovitt, the manager of Abbott and Dwarshuis, was quoted as saying in the report. “They are resting at a hotel as they prepare to fly back to Sydney."
“It has obviously been a challenging last 24 hours or so for all the players both physically and mentally. The next steps are to get them home safely as soon as possible. The organisers of the PSL have done their best to get the players out of Pakistan quickly in trying circumstances in a situation that is much bigger than the game of cricket itself.”
The report also stated that it had access to a picture of New Zealand star Kane Williamson alongside players, officials, and broadcasters on the aircraft to Dubai. Chris Jordan, Sam Billings, Tom Curran, and James Vince all played in the PSL, albeit it's still unknown whether England players were on board. The players' luggage is still in Pakistan, and attempts are being made to get it back, which further complicates the logistical issues. There is currently no set date for when either event will resume.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
