By Shahid Hashmi
A deadly blast near the provincial assembly in Lahore on Monday (February 13) has put the final of the Pakistan Super League that was to be held in the city on March 5, in jeopardy but PSL chairman Najam Sethi reiterated the final will not be shifted.
The blast, near the Punjab Provincial assembly, left 13 people killed and 85 injured, leaving foreign players circumspect about going to the terror-hit country. Before the current edition of the PSL started, the organisers had stated their desire to hold the final in Lahore, along with assurances of top security for the teams involved.
“We will stage the final in Lahore,” vowed Sethi. “If foreign players do not come the final will be played by all Pakistan players.”
Unfortunately most of the police officials who were involved in security drills for cricket final, including the superintendent of police Mobeen Ahmed and Zahid Gondal were killed in the blast.
The two officials showed Giles Clarke, the head of Pakistan Task team of the ICC, all the arrangements for security when the former England and Wales Cricket Board head visited Lahore last month.
Pakistan have not hosted a major international team since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009, apart from a limited-overs series against Zimbabwe in 2015.
However, in the lead-up to this year’s PSL, the Pakistan Cricket Board had announced it would hold the final of the second edition of the PSL in Lahore even if no foreign players were willing to travel there.
The PSL chairman, and brand ambassadors Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja, had briefed foreign players about the improved security arrangements in Lahore. After the briefing the Peshawar Zalmi franchise had announced all its players were willing to go to Lahore.
Peshawar’s players include Eoin Morgan of England, wh withdrew from the tour of Bangladesh last year over security fears.
They also have England’s Dawid Milan and Chris Jordan, and West Indians Darren Sammy and Marlon Samuels.