Bangladesh legspinner Rishad Hossain shared his distressing experience during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 season and added that he felt relieved once they arrived in Dubai, away from the dangerous situation. Hossain recalled that Tom Curran broke down in tears due to the tensions in Pakistan.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the suspension of the PSL on May 9, shortly after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to postpone the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for a week. Following the suspension, overseas players participating in the PSL were flown to the UAE.
We Heard That A Missile Struck The Airport – Rishad Hossain
Speaking to reporters at Dubai Airport, Rishad Hossain recounted that he learned a missile had struck after taking off from the airport. The Bangladeshi cricketer described the news as scary and sorrowful.
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“Alhamdulillah, we have reached Dubai after overcoming a crisis and I am feeling well now,” Rishad told reporters at Dubai Airport.
“After landing in Dubai when we heard that a missile struck the airport 20 minutes after we took off from the airport. The news was scary as well as sorrowful and now after reaching Dubai we are feeling relieved,” he said.
Rishad and Nahid Rana were Bangladeshi cricketers in the PSL 2025 season. The leg-spinner represented Lahore Qalandars, while Nahid played for Peshawar Zalmi.
Tom Curran Started Crying Like A Little Child – Rishad Hossain
Rishad Hossain shared that many foreign players were shaken by the tensions near the border. He added that players like Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, and Tom Curran were all terrified. Rishad said that Curran broke down in tears after hearing that the airport was closed.
“Foreign players like Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, Tom Curran… all of them were so frightened… Landing in Dubai, Mitchell told me that he would never go to Pakistan again, especially in this kind of scenario. Overall, they all were horrified,” said Rishad.
Recounting Tom Curran’s plight, Rishad added: “He (Tom Curran) went to the airport, but heard that the airport was closed. Then he started crying like a little child, that it took two or three people to handle him,” he added.
The Meeting Was Basically Called To Know Our Concerns – Rishad Hossain
Rishad Hossain shared that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman had planned to host the remaining PSL matches in Karachi. However, the decision was reconsidered after foreign players raised safety concerns during a meeting with PCB’s Mohsin Naqvi.
“The meeting was basically called to know our concerns, what we think about the current scenario. Almost all the foreign players said that the only safe place available for the later part of the tournament is Dubai.
“Yes, the PCB Chairman tried to convince us to conduct the remaining matches in Karachi. At that time he tried to hide from us that there were two drone attacks just the day before which we came to know later. Later all of us took the decision (to shift to Dubai) and the PCB Chairman helped us a lot to reach Dubai safely by the grace of Almighty Allah. Thanks to him and the Pakistan Cricket Board,” he concluded.
Also read: Australia, New Zealand players narrowly avoid missile attack in Pakistan amid Indo-Pak war
