adminLAHORE. – The Pakistan Cricket Board said 75 percent of tickets for the opening T20 match against Zimbabwe at the Gaddafi Stadium – which will host all five matches have been sold out.
A helicopter carried out aerial surveillance around the stadium on Monday, which was accessible only to the officials and workers of the PCB.
The tour was in jeopardy last week after militants killed dozens of minority Shiites in a bus in the southern port city of Karachi.
PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan then talked to his counterpart Wilson Manase three times and convinced him to go through with the tour.
“It’s a very good news for mi llions of Pakistan cricket team fans that international cricket is coming to Pakistan,” former Test cap tain Rashid Latif told The Associated Press.
“I think it’s a beginning of a new era for Pakistan cricket and many more teams will come after we successfully organise this series.”
While the game’s governing body went with the advice of its security expert, the international players’ federation also had reservations over Zimbabwe’s tour and said earlier this month that the security risk was “unmanageable” in Pakistan.
“International cricket is back in Pakistan and we will make this series a success,” said provincial interior minister Shuja Khanzada at the Allama Iqbal International Airport yesterday.
Pakistan has promised VIP security for Zimbabwe to avoid a repeat of 2009 when gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus, killing six police officers, a van driver and wounding several visiting cricketers.
Around 4 000 policemen and security officials have been deployed for the protection of the Zimbabwe team, which begins the series with the first Twenty20 on Friday.
“We have provided full-fledged support to the Pakistan Cricket Board and we will work as a team with them to make sure that more teams come to Pakistan after this series,” Khanzada said.
For the last three years the PCB had been trying to convince Test-playing nations to tour Pakistan, but even Bangladesh twice postponed its tour due to security fears.
“It’s their (Zimbabwe) trust and confidence in us which will strengthen our cricketing ties with them,” said PCB’s chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed, who was among the ones to receive visitors at the airport yesterday.
“We hope to change the perception of the world about Pakistan and build the confidence of other foreign teams to come here.” – AFP.
Online Reporter