PSL Chairman assures full security for the final

In a very bold move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) administrators announced that the finals of the second edition of the T20 league will be played on Pakistani soil. The finals of the PSL this year has been scheduled to be played on March 7 at Lahore. Recently, the PSL chief Najam Sethi assured that the board will give a foolproof security for the tournament finals. He assured that the visiting players will have no issues playing in Pakistan.

The move can well pave way for international cricket back in Pakistan. No major team barring Zimbabwe has toured Pakistan since the 2009 attacks on the Sri Lanka team bus. As per the quotes in the Indian Express, Sethi quoted in a statement that the Pakistan government is taking all the necessary steps for smooth conduct of the finals. He further added that security consultants will be in the UAE during the tournament to “allay the doubts and fears of the players”.

“The government has also made a huge investment in securing the city, and rest assured we will provide foolproof security to the players who will travel for the PSL final,” quoted Najam Sethi.

Former cricketer and the current owner of the defending champions of the league Islamabad United, Wasim Akram, also spoke at length about the security in the country. He noted that his wife has been staying in Karachi for over four years and has never felt unsafe.

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“We played a positive role in 1996 that was warmly welcomed in Sri Lanka. It is imperative that cricket returns to the country. Pakistanis are passionate about the game. My wife, who is an Australian, is staying in Karachi for the last four years and she is having a great time…The government will do everything possible to ensure the safety of players,” quoted Akram.

Former Pakistani skipper Ramiz Raja also spoke on the same lines. He also believes that if the overseas players play in the PSL finals in Pakistan, it will have large scale impact on the game in the world cricket.

“The perceptions about the place might be muddled, but I can assure you that the players who will travel will be making a priceless contribution to Pakistan cricket. Once you taste the flavor of cricket in the country, you will come to realize how welcoming the crowds are,” quoted Ramiz Raja.