The Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) has termed the shifting of National T20 cricket tournament to Karachi unjustified. Lahore was depriving of the high profile event amid fears of dengue outbreak in the city.
“The LCCA was not taken into confidence on changing the venue of the event and a one-sided decision was taken in this regard without having the LCCA on board,” LCCA vice president Imran Bucha said.
North Zone president Mian Mubeen Ahmed, East Zone president Kamil Ali Shah and West Zone president Tanveer Ali Shah were also there.
They said if Lahore was in grip of ongoing dengue fever, the law and order situation in Karachi was not good too to host the national level event.
“We appeal to PCB to ensure top security of the teams as a few days are left to organise the event at Karachi and adequate arrangements should be made for the safety and protection of the players as well as officials.”
They said Lahore was the hub of the cricket activities and at a time when international cricket was not being played in the country owing to security concerns shown by the foreign teams, shifting the event from Lahore was an unjustified step.
“Punjab Government has assured its full cooperation for hosting the event in a successful manner; assuring measures including anti dengue spray three times a day in and out of the Gadaffi Stadium besides safety and security of the teams but no consideration was given to it and the event was shifted to Karachi,” they added.
“It was so unfortunate that no one from the LCCA was taken into confidence on the change of the venue and the LCCA’s opinion was not sought in this regard,” they said.
They appealed to the PCB and its Patron to look into the matter to stop such incidents and called for taking into confidence all the stake holders before reaching a decision on such a matter in future.