Australian cricket stars playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) have begun making their way back home amid uncertainty around the ongoing conflict between the nations.
But worryingly, up to 10 Australian nationals, who had been affiliated with the PSL, narrowly escaped a missile strike as they fled the country, according to reports.
Both the PSL and IPL have now been suspended amid escalating hostilities between the two countries, though there is hope, according to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), that the IPL could be restarted soon, following this weekend’s ceasefire.
Question marks have revolved over whether the IPL, which could continue again as soon as this Friday, will continue to be played in India or could be played in the United Arab Emirates. The PSL has, meanwhile, been postponed indefinitely, with officials also having looked at finishing matches in the UAE.
It is unclear, though, how many Australians will be keen to return to play. Some, including Mitchell Starc, David Warner and Pat Cummins, who have all been playing in the subcontinent in recent months, have made their way back to Australia, with Starc and his partner Alyssa Healy arriving back in Sydney airport on Sunday.
According to Robert Craddock, speaking on SEN Whateley, a group of Aussies were attempting to leave Pakistan on a flight to Dubai, when they were almost involved in a missile strike.
A group of Australian cricketers, including Riley Meredith (right) were almost caught up in a horror situation
Multiple Australian cricket stars are currently fleeing India and Pakistan, with the IPL and PSL now postponed amid the ongoing conflict in the region
A group of Australian stars were travelling out of Pakistan, when they were almost involved in an air strike
The flight, which was said to be leaving Pakistan’s Nur Khan airbase, left just 15 minutes before missiles struck the facility.
The site is one of the country’s most important airports that houses transport squadrons that are used for logistical operations.
Players on board are understood to have been left distressed upon learning that the missiles had struck the base shortly after their departure.
‘When they landed, Riley Meredith saw it on his phone and realised the base was bombed while they were in the air,’ Craddock said to SEN.
‘The air strip was bombed. It was a chilling moment.
‘The players were stunned by it. Max Bryant, he’s in Dubai, he said you can’t escape it.’
The Sydney Morning Herald adds that Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Ashton Turner and Mitch Owen were also on the aircraft.
The airbase suffered significant damage, with Craddock adding that it was ‘not destroyed but fires everywhere. It would have been a disaster.’
A group of around 10 Australians were flying out of the Nur Khan airbase in Pakistan (pictured). The airbase was struck by missiles just 15 minutes after their flight left the facility
Sean Abbott (right) was also said to be on board the flight. Abbott had been playing for the Quetta Gladiators in the PSL
Ben Dwarshuis (left) was also understood to have been on the flight, which left for Dubai over the weekend. He had been playing for Islamabad United in the PSL
Player agent Peter Lovitt, who manages Abbot and Dwarshuis, told The Sydney Morning Herald that the pair, who were shaken by the events, were glad to be in Dubai.
‘Sean and Ben are relieved to be in Dubai now,’ Lovitt told The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘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.’
It is also understood that Kiwi star Kane Williamson was on board the flight.
India and Pakistan agreed a ceasefire on Saturday but multiple explosions were heard in the Kashmir region, hours after the deal was struck. On Sunday morning, hostilities appeared to have settled.
Meredith took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal he has now landed back home in Tasmania.
Meredith, meanwhile, took to Instagram to publish a picture of himself safely back home in Hobart
Other Aussie stars, including Mitchell Starc have also been seen returning this weekend
While no resumption date has been made yet, the BCCI are hopeful that the IPL will begin again soon.
‘The tournament was suspended for a week and yesterday there was a ceasefire… the tournament will be restarted soon,’ BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said, according to Asian News International.
Reports from The Times claim that the IPL has now already recalled its stars.
However, there are some concerns about resuming both leagues so soon after the ceasefire.
Players now face the issue of being in breach of their contract to teams in both leagues, should they choose not to travel back to play.
‘It’s very much a man-by-man choice. Can it cost them? Yes, it can,’ Craddock said.
‘Talk all you want about ceasefires (but) the BCCI and government are in lockstep. The Indian government basically runs cricket now. Whatever they want to happen will happen.
‘They will want it as a morale lifter. They want it to lift the nation. Australian players are pawns in this political argument. But if you sign up for these big leagues, that’s what you get.’
There are hopes among some at the BCCI that the Indian Premier League will be able to recommence as soon as this Friday
It is understood that some players and coaches chose to stay behind in India, with former Australia captain, Ricky Ponting, reportedly deboarding a flight in India this week following the ceasefire announcement.
The Punjab Kings coach had also urged the rest of his team not to leave the country.
Reporter, Bharat Sharma, said: All PBKS foreign players, barring Marco Jansen, never left India.
‘Ponting deboarded the flight home after the ceasefire announcement and gave a pep talk to players, ensuring they all don’t take a flight back home from Delhi on Saturday night.’