Owners of the five Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises have agreed that their teams will travel to Lahore should they qualify for the final, which is scheduled to be played on March 5. The decision came after a meeting on Monday in which the PSL management briefed the franchises on security arrangements for the final, due to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Support and assurances from the federal government, from the Punjab government and perhaps most importantly from the army, has meant that the PSL has felt confident enough to pursue Lahore; a statement from the army shortly after the Lahore blast said that the “Army will extend full support to all concerned for holding the event as scheduled.”
“It has been heart-warming to see the dedication of all the owners to the cause of taking cricket back home,” PSL chairman, Najam Sethi said in a statement. “There is a realisation that this final will be the first step in opening the gates to international teams starting to make the journey again. We are all committed to this mission and wish to have a thoroughly entertaining final where it should happen—in Lahore.”
During the meeting on Monday, the owners of the Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars franchises raised concerns about the security of players and the general public if the match were to be played in Lahore, concerns that were eventually assuaged by Sethi.
“We are positive about the PSL final but we will have to convince our players,” Salman Iqbal, the owner of the Karachi franchise, told a popular cricket website. “But in principle, we are looking forward to playing the final in Lahore in case our team qualifies for it. It’s premature to say right now which team is going to play the final but we have given our consent. After all, only eight [foreign] players need to make a trip and it’s not impossible to convince them and I am sure all will be good.”
“We are actually concerned about the general public’s safety, otherwise, we are convinced that our players will be taken care of and they will have the top security,” Sameen Rana, CEO of Lahore Qalandars, told the site. “But they [the public] are also our stakeholders and it’s for the crowd that we are making it, so what about their safety? We were given a line by Najam Sethi that he has all the assurances from the government and forces to make it possible, and every single person is important and will be taken care of. So we trust them and agreed to play the final in Lahore.”
The owner of PSL franchise Peshawar Zalmi, Javed Afridi, has said most of the players in his team are ready to travel to Lahore for the final.
“PSL final should be held in Lahore. PSL is a product of Pakistan, and we stand by any decision that is taken in Pakistan’s favour,” Javed Afridi said. Sources close to the matter informed that Zalmi captain Darren Sammy of West Indies and bowler Chris Jordan of England are ready to come to Pakistan.
The PCB has taken numerous steps in its planning for the final. The board has bought four bulletproof buses for the transport of players, and has previously spoken about planning it such that players fly in and then out immediately either side of the match.
The question around the participation of foreign players in the final remains unanswered. Even before this latest wave of attacks, the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) issued a report warning that an “acceptable level of participant security and safety cannot be expected or guaranteed” in Pakistan. After the Lahore blast, Sethi briefed foreign players in Dubai but admitted that he was unsure how many would agree to travelling.
It is believed that foreign players will be offered separate payments to travel for the final itself, based on a slab system reflecting their status and seniority. The maximum such payment could go as high as $50,000.
Franchises have, however, been handed a list of 54 foreign players who, the PCB says, are willing to travel to Lahore for the final. The list comprises players who were left unpicked at the draft, as well as others from outside the pool who have been contacted by the PCB about their availability. They include players from Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, England, South Africa, West Indies and Bangladesh.
PM, army chief invited to watch PSL final in Lahore:
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa have been invited to watch the final of the second edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Lahore, organisers say.
In a message on Twitter, PSL Chairman Najam Sethi tweeted: “PSL management and franchisees resolve to hold Final in Lahore. We invite the PM, COAS and CMs to attend the match at Qaddafi Stadium.”
Gayle, Sangakkara refuse to play PSL final in Lahore:
Karachi Kings’ Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have refused to travel to Lahore for the final despite being made lucrative financial offers by the league organisers.
As many as 50 cricketers expressed their desire to partake in the title-deciding match; however, absent from the list was the star trio of Gayle, Sangakkara and Jayawardene, who have refused to travel to Pakistan, citing the country’s volatile security conditions.
PSL final to be held under army’s supervision:
The final of Pakistan Super League would be held in Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore under the supervision of Pakistan Army and Rangers, sources told media.
As per details, police along with other law enforcement agencies would also assist the armed forces to maintain a peaceful atmosphere in and around the provincial capital.
Earlier on Monday, a high-level meeting was held at the Capital City Police Office in which CCPO Amin Wains directed the department to ensure foolproof security in the city. He said the department would leave no stone unturned in making PSL final a successful event.