Bangladesh spinner Rishad Hossain reveals chilling details of foreign players’ panic and trauma as they fled Pakistan amid cross-border military escalation.
May 10, 2025: Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, who was part of Lahore Qalandars in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), has shared a harrowing account of the fear and chaos experienced by overseas players following the India-Pakistan conflict that led to the suspension of the tournament.
Speaking to reporters after safely landing in Dubai, Rishad described the panic that gripped foreign cricketers as they scrambled to exit Pakistan amid missile strikes and bombings.
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“Foreign players like Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kusal Perera, David Wiese, and Tom Curran — all were terrified. Mitchell told me he’d never return to Pakistan under such circumstances,” Rishad said.
According to him, England pacer Tom Curran was especially shaken. “Tom went to the airport but was told it was shut down. He broke down crying. It took two or three people to calm him,” he recalled.
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Fellow Bangladeshi cricketer Nahid Rana, who was with Peshawar Zalmi, was also visibly disturbed. “He was silent the whole time. I kept assuring him that everything would be fine. Alhamdulillah, we reached Dubai safely,” said Rishad.
The emotional toll extended beyond the field, as players’ families back home worried for their safety amid reports of missile strikes and explosions. Rishad revealed that the players learned a missile hit an airport just 20 minutes after they had taken off.
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“My family was naturally anxious. I had to keep telling them not to worry,” he added.
The PSL was suspended within hours of the IPL 2025 being paused for a week, as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated. With a ceasefire now in place, normalcy is gradually returning, but for many foreign players, the trauma of their abrupt evacuation from Pakistan remains fresh.
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