Lahore - Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan Wednesday put the ball in the government’s court for holding the Pakistan Super League Final in Lahore.
While reiterating the Board’s resolve to hold the PSL final in Lahore, the PCB chief said they are ready to host the event at the Gaddafi Stadium if the government wanted to do us so. “We have told the government we are ready to organise the final in Lahore,” he said while speaking to media.
But the real possibility of holding the event at this moment looks very gleam as a new wave of terror is engulfing the different parts of the country. The sources in the board has confirmed that the PCB and PSL administrators have made-up their minds to hold this year’s final too at Dubai as a final-minus international players would not serve the cause of hosting the mega event’s final as the sole aim of the board is to revive the international cricket activities in the country.
The sources say now the only reason to host the final in Pakistan whether in the presence or absence of the foreign players is only to show the resolve of the nation to fight the terror menace. So, the board has cleverly put the onus on the government to decide upon the fate of the event.
Shaharyar also said that a monitoring team comprising foreigners will visit Lahore in the next few days to review the security situation. “We will not bow down to terrorism,” the chairman added.
The PCB chairman also thanked Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa for offering his support to host the mega event in the country. He said the board is confident of holding the PSL final at the Gaddafi Stadium in March.
“We want to hold the final in Lahore. We have thanked the army chief for his support and have talked to him and held important talks. I am confident that we will hold the final in Lahore,” he added. “I promise you that it will be a grand event.”
PCB’s Director Media Amjad Hussain also confirmed the readiness of the board for holding the final and said all the arrangements are almost final including the renovation work at the Gaddafi Stadium. However, he feared that the high profile event could have been targeted again by the terrorists and a final decision would be taken in next week after the thorough consultation with all the stakeholders. Amjad said two or three foreign players still have given their nod to play in Pakistan.
Fresh players’ draft
Now the PSL administration is working on both the options and has devised a policy to counter the challenge
PSL chairman Najam Sethi has set February 22 as date to take the verdict of the players and franchise on the issue.
The PSL final will give franchisees the option to draft new players in case contracted international stars opt out of the March 5 final at Lahore due to security reasons, Sethi said during a TV programme.
“On Feb 22, we will do a new draft... we will put a formula in front of all the franchises and foreign players to let us know who will play the final in Lahore and who will not come.”
International stars, including West Indies batsman Chris Gayle, Shane Watson of Australia and England's Twenty20 captain Eoin Morgan, are among 30 foreign players contracted to five teams.
The PCB had promised to provide top-level security to the PSL finalists at Gaddafi Stadium. Sethi said he had been in contact with several foreign players who indicated they would be willing to play the final in Lahore.
Though Sethi and the PCB have insisted all along that the final will go ahead in Lahore, with or without foreign players, the increasing probability that none may come now, would seem to have compelled a shift in that stance.
PCA warning to England players
Meanwhile, England's Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) has advised their members not to make themselves available for the PSLfinal should it be held in Lahore.
A number of England players currently playing in the PSL such as Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy and Steven Finn would not be available for the match anyway because of their selection in the squad for a three match One-Day International series in the West Indies which begins two days before the final. There are however others such as Ben Duckett, Chris Jordan and Kevin Pietersen who are not in the ODI squad and who will have to make a decision should their teams reach the latter stages of the competition. Despite the security assurances of the Pakistani army, the attack in Lahore has made an already difficult decision much harder.
"Our position is as before," David Leatherdale, the PCA's Chief Executive was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. "Players should not make themselves available for the final on advice from the PCA and FICAs security advice. Players have been asked to sign the same disclaimer they did for Bangladesh that it is their full responsibility should they take part in the final."