LAHORE - Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) four-member security team have approved the match venue and security arrangements in Karnataka ahead of upcoming series against India, it has been learnt.
The security team looked pleased and satisfied after visiting the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore and inspecting the sporting, security and hospitality arrangements for the cricket series later this month.
The team leader Nadeem Sarwar expressed the security team's satisfaction with the arrangements. "We have been given detailed briefing on that from the security agencies, police on both venues and we are pretty satisfied on what they have told us," said Sarwar.
Sarwar, along with Ehsan Sadiq (Director, Security and Vigilance, PCB), Usman Wahla (Manager, International Cricket Operations) have come to inspect the five venues Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and Ahmedabad.
Pakistan's cricket team will arrive in India on December 22 to play two T20s and three One Day Internationals (ODIs). Bilateral cricket between the neighbours were suspended after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The last series between the two sides was Pakistan's tour of India in 2007 although Pakistan travelled to India to play the 50 overs World Cup semi-final in Mohali last year.
Nadeem Sarwar said there has been nothing objectionable that they have come across during their visit. He said: “The BCCI and the local associations have tremendous experience in hosting matches. “We have just come here to see hotel arrangements and security measures. It is also about getting ourselves familiar with venues.”
Sarwar said the team was satisfied with the security arrangements for the match. “They have taken care of almost everything. We have complete faith in the local administration that they have the capability to handle everything. As for specific requests, we are also requesting them to do the required mechanism for the Pakistani supporters who will come here. We were not seeking any additional security,” Sarwar said.
About 5000 Pakistani spectators are expected to cross the border to witness two T20 matches and three one-dayers of the two countries. “There will also be high-profile personalities as guests of the PCB. Among them will be our former players and at least two of them will come here,” he added. Pakistan will open the tour with the Bangalore T20 match on Christmas Day before moving to Ahmedabad for the second T20 on December 27. The ODIs will be in Chennai (December 30), Kolkata (January 3) and New Delhi (January 6).
Meanwhile, Under the umbrella organisation of ‘India versus Pakistan Virodhi Ookuta’, Sri Rama Sene has stated that it “will not allow the series to start here at the Chinnaswamy Stadium at any cost.” It will submit a memorandum to the chief minister, home minister and the KSCA to cancel the Bangalore match.
Additional Commissioner of Police, (Law and Order), T Suneel Kumar said: “Such threats and hooliganism will be dealt with seriously. We will ensure all possible measures for the smooth passing of the cricket match.”