Sharjah: With question marks over whether the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held in Lahore on March 5, the second leg of the event commences at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. Defending champions Islamabad United will take on Quetta Gladiators in the only match of the day from 8pm.
With the bombing that rocked Lahore, killing 13 people and injuring over 70 on Monday, the hopes of the organisers of taking the PSL to Pakistan now hang in the balance — and the organisers have left it to their cricket fans to decide where they want the final.
The organisers are willing to stage the final in Lahore even without the foreign players in the teams. Pakistan Super League (PSL) chairman Najam Sethi said: “The foreign players have refused to play the final in Lahore after Monday’s blast, but if the citizens of Pakistan want the final of PSL to be held in Lahore, despite foreign players not participating in the final, then the final will be held in Lahore.”
A top PSL official in Sharjah also confirmed to Gulf News that alternate arrangements are being made in the UAE for the final in case the showpiece is moved from Lahore.
“We also need clearance from the government of Punjab in case we have to stage the final in Lahore. Security arrangements have to be in place for the final and hence government approval is vital,” he added.
The PSL authorities, before the start of the league, had held a meeting with foreign players to assure them of top security for the final. .
The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (Fica) had criticised the PCB’s decision to host the final in Lahore. Incidentally the Fica circulated a memo to players and players’ associations stating that there is “an extremely elevated” risk level in Pakistan.
Speaking to Gulf News, Sethi had said: “We want to encourage foreign players to come to Lahore... once we have the final in Lahore that will be the window that will open up for more cricket in Pakistan.”
The PSL had also been rocked by a few players attempting to corrupt the tournament by engaging in spot fixing. On Monday night, the PCB (PCB) provisionally suspended Nasir Jamshed, the former opener, from all forms of cricket due to a violation of its anti-corruption code.
Earlier, the PCB had provisionally suspended Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif from PSL for not reporting an offer from an international betting syndicate and they were flown into Pakistan for questioning. The Pakistan Anti Corruption Unit, which was trailing the syndicate, revealed the wrongdoing of the players. Islamabad United’s Mohammad Irfan, Quetta Gladiators’ Zulfiqar Babar and Shahzaib Hasan of the Karachi Kings were also questioned in connection with the incident but were allowed to play in the tournament.
Jamshed had played in two Tests, both against South Africa in February 2013, besides featuring in 48 ODIs and 18 T20 internationals. He is alleged to be the go-between man linked with the international betting syndicate and the players.
As for the opening match in Sharjah, the Quetta and Islamabad teams have trained hard. Ticket sales for the double header on Friday and Saturday have increased and a packed stadium is set to witness the Sharjah matches.
