With hostilities between India and Pakistan intensifying this week, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was abruptly suspended and its remaining fixtures shifted to Dubai. The escalated conflict saw both nations exchange airstrikes along their shared border, prompting civilian airspace closures and widespread international evacuations. Among those caught up in the turmoil is Australian television presenter and former Miss World Australia Erin Holland, who had been in Islamabad to cover the PSL for Channel 9. Holed up in her hotel room, Holland finds herself on standby for evacuation, her bags packed and ready as the situation remains fluid.
Erin Holland’s Precautionary Measures
“I am just trying to keep calm and control the controllables, and at the moment it is sit tight,” Holland told The Daily Telegraph late Friday night. The 33-year-old presenter, best known for her work on the Australian Open and the Big Bash League, has spent the past week traveling between PSL venues—Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad—alongside former Australian cricketer Lisa Sthalekar and a small Australian broadcast contingent.
Although Holland’s hotel overlooks a secure compound and she cannot directly see any military action, she reports “there’s a lot of air action” on flight-tracking apps and news reports of drones and fighter jets scrambling along the western skies. She has ensured her passport, visa and accreditation are at hand, and has alerted Australian authorities to her whereabouts. “I’ve got my bags packed ready to go,” she said. “We just don’t know what is happening and when we are going. At the moment it is a ‘maybe.’”
Impact on Australian Players and Officials
The closure of Pakistani airspace has stranded not only broadcast teams but also five Australian cricketers contracted to PSL franchises: former Australian vice-captain David Warner, explosive opener Max Bryant, fast bowler Riley Meredith, seam all-rounder Sean Abbott and leg-spinner Mitch Owen. Dutch international coach Brad Haddin was also present, alongside legendary batsman-turned-coach Ricky Ponting, who is under contract with the Karachi Kings. All have been placed on emergency standby for evacuation, either via chartered jets from neighbouring countries or with the assistance of the Australian High Commission in Islamabad.
Fellow commentators report receiving conflicting guidance on embassy-organised flights and commercial charter options. Some players are weighing the option of traveling by road to Lahore—where airspace remains briefly open—before boarding an out-of-country evacuation flight. Others are exploring land corridors into eastern Iran or into Afghanistan, though those routes present heightened security risks. “We’re doing everything to get our people home safely,” an Australian cricket board official said on condition of anonymity.
Regional Security Concerns and Airspace Closures
Pakistan’s decision to close its entire airspace came hours after India conducted precision strikes on what it described as “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistani Kashmir. Pakistan retaliated by shooting down Indian fighter jets and conducting its own limited air raids on military installations in India-administered Kashmir. The swift escalation prompted the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan to ground all civilian flights, affecting some 200 commercial and military aircraft in the region’s skies.
On Friday evening, the European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking agency issued a notice reminding airlines of the ongoing flight ban over both countries and rerouting recommendations for transiting aircraft to avoid South Asia entirely. Flight-tracking services recorded dozens of commercial jets diverting via the Gulf and Central Asia, adding hours to long-haul routes between Europe and Southeast Asia.
Organisers Pivot to Dubai as Safe Haven
Faced with the logistical nightmare of suspended matches and stranded internationals, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced late Friday that “all remaining PSL fixtures will be completed in Dubai in the first week of June.” Standby arrangements include Dubai International Stadium for the semi-finals and final, with travel logistics to be organised via chartered flights from Islamabad and Lahore to Dubai.
“This decision ensures the safety of players, officials and broadcasters while preserving the integrity of the tournament,” Naqvi said in a televised statement. “We regret the inconvenience but believe this is the only responsible course of action given the current security environment.” PCB has partnered with the Emirates Group to provide dedicated charter services for teams and media personnel, including Holland and her crew. The cost of relocation will be borne by PCB and partially insured under the board’s event-cancellation policy.
Personal Toll on Erin Holland and Her Colleagues
For Holland, the move to Dubai will bring relief but little time to prepare. Having travelled on short notice from Lahore to Islamabad to cover two decisive PSL playoff matches, she now faces another scramble to repack and redeploy. “It’s been a whirlwind,” she said. “In one day I went from cheering in the stands for a last-ball thriller to rushing back to my hotel to watch news reports of jets overhead.”
Lisa Sthalekar, Holland’s broadcast partner and former Australian Test all-rounder, has expressed solidarity on social media, posting a photo of the two of them with the caption: “Covering cricket on the world’s most volatile border. Waiting for the green light to head home—or to Dubai. #StaySafe.” Fellow Australians in the PSL—players and staff alike—have privately acknowledged the surreal nature of competing on the field while war burns on both sides of the frontier.
Broader Implications for International Sport
The suspension of both the IPL (Indian Premier League) and the PSL in the space of 48 hours marks an unprecedented disruption to franchise cricket in South Asia. The IPL, featuring more than a dozen Australian internationals—including Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Josh Inglis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett and Mitch Owen—halted mid-match on Wednesday after floodlight failures amid power outages linked to the border conflict.
Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, has urged all Australians in both leagues to register with Smartraveller and to heed local security advice. “We are concerned for the safety of Australian citizens in both countries,” she said in Canberra on Friday. “Our diplomats remain in close contact with state and national cricket boards to facilitate their safe return.”
The Human Side of Geopolitical Conflict
While political leaders spar and militaries on both sides posture for domestic audiences, individuals like Erin Holland and her Australian colleagues are caught in the crossfire. Holland’s public plea for calm—“keep calm and control the controllables”—echoes the advice of crisis experts, yet underscores the powerlessness of civilians in escalating wars. At the same time, the camaraderie of teammates and colleagues, the solidarity of embassies and the determination of cricket bodies to complete tournaments testify to the resilience of individuals and institutions alike.
Waiting for Departure: Logistics and Uncertainty
With Pakistan’s airspace closed indefinitely, evacuation options narrow to land-based charters or multi-leg journeys via third countries. The Australian High Commission in Islamabad has established an emergency hotline for stranded Australians and is coordinating with foreign partners for evacuation corridors through Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Muscat. Counselors warn that the stress of uncertain travel plans, combined with the anxiety of news coverage showing escalating violence, can take a significant psychological toll on individuals. International crisis-management teams recommend regular check-ins with family, maintaining routines where possible, and drawing on peer support within the group.
As evening falls on Islamabad, Erin Holland plans to hydrate, practice relaxation techniques and update her producer on all developments. “I’m ready to go,” she says. “But until that call comes, I’ll stay calm, keep my bags packed and hope for the best.”
Next Steps: PSL in Dubai and Return Journeys
The PCB has confirmed that the PSL’s five remaining matches—including the semi-finals on June 4 and June 6, and the final on June 8—will take place at Dubai International Stadium. Teams and broadcast crews are slated to depart Pakistan over the weekend, provided charter clearances are expedited. For Erin Holland and her Australian colleagues, the immediate goal is safe arrival in Dubai, followed by coverage of cricket and, ultimately, a journey home to Australia once regional airspace reopens.
While the border conflict remains unresolved, the story of Erin Holland—a sports presenter turned crisis-evacuee—offers a poignant reminder of the human stakes behind geopolitical flashpoints. As she awaits her next step, Holland epitomises both the vulnerability and the endurance of those caught between the roar of a crowd in the stadium and the distant thunder of war overhead.
