Pakistan will hold the final of its wildly popular domestic T20 cricket league on home soil for the first time, despite a wave of deadly attacks across the country, the cricket board announced yesterday.
However, it was not clear how many foreign players would come to Pakistan, where 130 people have been killed in recent attacks, to take part in the March 5 game in the eastern city of Lahore.
While the league, now in its second year, attracts an estimated television audience of over 50mn people in the cricket-crazed nation, so far all matches have been played in the United Arab Emirates.
“The nation has shown its passion and unity. The Pakistani nation is peaceful and it will not be blackmailed,” Pakistan Cricket Board executive committee chairman Najam Sethi said.
The Pakistan Super League features cricket stars from all over the world but many appear reluctant to travel to Pakistan for the final.
“We have to wait until March 3 to know which foreign players will travel to Lahore, as we still do not know which two teams will qualify,” Sethi told reporters.
The tournament entered the play-offs on Sunday with title-holders Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Karachi progressing as security fears dominated build-up to the March 5 final in Lahore.
Karachi Kings beat Islamabad United by six wickets in a must-win game in Dubai, eliminating Lahore Qalandars from the next round.
For the first time in the league Chris Gayle showed why he was regarded as the most destructive limited over batsman, hitting a 17-ball 44 with five towering sixes and two boundaries.
Gayle was dropped from the last match after managing just 59 runs in six games.
Gayle’s quickfire knock eased Karachi Kings’ 124-run target in a match reduced to 15-over-a-side due to rain in Dubai.
Islamabad United, who were already in the play-offs, had posted 123-7 with West Indian Dwayne Smith hitting a 36-ball 49.
It was Gayle’s West Indian teammate who brought Lahore’s downfall in the last game, smashing two sixes off the last two balls of the match to help Karachi chase down the 156-run target.
Peshawar Zalmi (Youth) and Quetta Gladiators, who finished one and two respectively in the league phase, will meet in the first play-offs in Sharjah today. The winner will qualify for the final.
Pakistan has played most of its home international matches in the United Arab Emirates since 2009, when gunmen attacked a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team from their hotel to
Lahore’s Gaddafi stadium, wounding six players and killing six security personnel and two civilians.
PCB executive chairman Najam Sethi
