The National Women’s Championship in Karachi faced an abrupt halt on Monday following a fire incident at the team hotel. Five players narrowly escaped the alarming situation, but swift action by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ensured their safety.
According to the PCB, the incident unfolded while most players and officials were away at the National Stadium, either participating in matches or attending net sessions. Only five players were at the hotel during the fire, but all were safely evacuated.
“Fortunately, no players were injured, as the PCB promptly evacuated the five players in the hotel at the time of the incident and relocated them safely to the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre,” read a PCB statement.
The PCB explored alternative accommodations for the players but encountered difficulties due to the Ideas Defence Exhibition in Karachi, which made securing the required 100 rooms impossible.
“Additionally, the unavailability of alternative accommodations to meet the approximately 100 rooms of the required standards contributed to this outcome,” the PCB added.
The five participating teams—Strikers, Invincibles, Challengers, Stars, and Conquerors—had already played four matches each. The Invincibles led the points table with four wins, followed by Stars with three wins, Conquerors with two wins, Strikers with one win, and Challengers still searching for their first victory.
In light of the unforeseen circumstances, the PCB decided to truncate the tournament and announced a face-off between the top two teams to determine the winner.
“To determine the tournament winner, the PCB has decided that the Invincibles and the Stars—the top-two teams after four matches each—will face off in the final. The date and venue for the final will be announced in due course,” said the statement.
While the fire incident posed significant challenges, the PCB prioritized player safety and moved swiftly to address the situation. The anticipated final between the Invincibles and Stars promises an exciting conclusion to the curtailed championship.
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