A number of overseas cricketers, including a large contingent of English players, will be flying back from the PSL because of the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic. Peshawar Zalmi's Tom Banton, Liam Livingstone, Lewis Gregory and Carlos Brathwaite, as well as Multan Sultans' James Vince and Karachi Kings' Alex Hales, were among the first players to confirm their departures, and the list has since expanded to include Peshawar's Liam Dawson and coach James Foster, Multan's Rilee Rossouw, and Jason Roy and Tymal Mills of Quetta Gladiators.

ESPNcricinfo understands that with the situation still unfolding, more and more overseas players will leave the tournament prematurely. The PCB confirmed that the league, however, will go on as planned, but the matches will be played behind closed doors, and all local and overseas players and support staff members have been given the option to pull out.

"Today, the PCB and the team owners, as part of their duty of care, have decided to give all the players the option to decide if they wish to return home," the PCB said in a statement. "Ensuring that the players feel comfortable remains paramount to the PCB. As of now, it is important to emphasise and clarify that the main concern of many of the 10 players and a coach, who have chosen to return home, revolves around avoiding a potential situation where they might become stranded either due to flight cancellations or border closures in their own countries."

The PCB also said that it had carried out medical tests, and that no player has tested positive for the virus.

With this many players pulling out, the PCB has given the go-ahead to the franchises to seek replacements. ESPNcricinfo understands that the PCB is also in contact with the competent authority in the government and will continue to monitor the situation closely and "won't hesitate to make what we believe are the right decisions for everyone involved".

As things stand, Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United are the only teams unchanged with their players staying on for the rest of the tournament. Islamabad have, however, called off their training session in Karachi and it's likely that they might lose Dawid Malan as early as tonight.

More to follow...