Steve Smith arrives in Pakistan despite armed group warning ahead of PSL 2026 | WATCH

Steve Smith finally arrived in Lahore on Monday to make his debut in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) despite recent security threats from an armed group. Ahead of the commencement of the 11th edition of the PSL, a faction of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) issued a stern warning to all overseas players participating in the tournament, stating their security is not guaranteed, and even asked them to withdraw immediately. The group also called PSL a 'cruel mockery' of the suffering in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. PSL 2026 is set to commence on March 26.

Ignoring the warning from the armed group, the star Australian batter arrived in Lahore amid high security, and a video of him walking out of the airport is also doing the rounds on the internet. Recently, PCB announced that all the matches in PSL 2026 will be played behind closed doors, which means there will be no spectators, fans, or general public.

Earlier, a commander of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar told The Sunday Guardian, ''We want to advise the relevant cricket boards not to send their players to Pakistan. If something happens to them, it will not be our responsibility. We have already issued our warning.''

He was also asked about his response, if the players ignore the warning, then he added, ''We will do whatever is in our capacity, but we will not let the matches happen. We will do our best to ensure that the tournament is disrupted and the players do not take to the field.''

In a statement issued by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, the armed group clearly warned overseas players of consequences if they participate in the PSL 2026 and wrote, ''Today, the people of Pakistan, specifically those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, are enduring unprecedented hardships due to systemic military oppression and state-led violence. While our streets are marked by the funerals of our loved ones and our mothers mourn the disappearance of their sons, the organized spectacle of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) serves as a cruel mockery of our suffering. Hosting such testive displays while entire regions bleed is an act of "rubbing salt into our wounds" that we categorically reject. We wish to convey a clear and urgent message to all participants of the PSL, especially the foreign players: The current internal security and political landscape of the country is volatile and precarious.''

Meanwhile, Steve Smith will be making his PSL debut as he was signed by Sialkot Stallions, which is a new franchise. He is reportedly the most expensive signing in PSL history, with a deal of nearly half a million US dollars. Interestingly, he went unsold in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini auction.

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