Unprecedented security for high-risk PSL final

Pakistani soldiers patrol outside the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on March 4 2017 ahead of the final cricket match of the Pakistan Super League PicPTILahore Pakistan will deploy troops and bulletproof buses for Sundays Pakistan Super League final its biggest cricket match in years after a wave of militant attacks prompted a host of foreign stars to pull outUnprecedented security involving thousands of troops and police will guard the soldout game in Lahore scene of a deadly 2009 assault on Sri Lankas team which halted international cricket tours in the country Fears of a fresh incident threaten to overshadow Sundays final between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi the culmination of a Twenty20 tournament which has otherwise been played in the United Arab EmiratesPakistani soldiers patrol outside the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on March 4 2017 ahead of the final cricket match of the Pakistan Super League PSLHolding the final in Pakistan has drawn criticism from some quarters after a series of militant attacks in February left 130 people dead including a Lahore suicide blast that killed 14God forbid if any mishap happens we can say goodbye to int international cricket in Pak for the next decade tweeted Pakistan great Imran Khan Englands Kevin Pietersen Luke Wright and Tymal Mills have all withdrawn along with their Quetta teammates Rilee Rossouw of South Africa and New Zealands Nathan McCullumI have a young family a game of cricket is just not worth the risk tweeted Wright adding that all overseas players had a clause in their contract exempting them from the final Peshawars owners meanwhile have claimed all five of their foreign stars Darren Sammy and Marlon Samnuels from the West Indies and Englands Chris Jordan Samit Patel and Dawid Malan are ready to go to Lahore though the players themselves have not confirmed thisBoth teams will be able to pick from a specially created pool of 12 foreign players willing to participate Cricinfo reported on FridayThe Super League now in its second year is Pakistans answer to the glitzy Indian Premier League and Australias Big Bash League and provides muchneeded income for Pakistani cricket after international teams stopped visitingSundays game stands as a test as to whether Pakistan can again successfully host toplevel cricket and has also been held up as a symbol of defiance in the face of Islamist violence Pakistani people hate terrorism It will be the highestlevel game in Pakistan since the 2009 assault in which gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus outside Lahores Gaddafi Stadium killing six people and wounding several playersA marked improvement in security since 2014 coupled with the success of the inaugural Super League convinced the Pakistan Cricket Board to risk a final in Lahore before last months attacks set nerves on edge once more The success of the PSL will open the gates for teams to start coming into Pakistan insisted cricket chief Shaharyar Khan as the threeandahalfweek tournament began last monthThe army paramilitary Rangers and Punjab police will secure the area and players will travel in bulletproof buses in what officials say are unheardof levels of securityThe 27000capacity Gaddafi Stadium was already under guard on Friday Khalid Mehmood a former PCB chairman said the match is the first step in the long process of rehabilitating Pakistan as a venue for international cricket But after this months attacks the final has also become a focal point in Pakistans struggle against extremism he told AFP Either we should have cancelled the match shut down the schools and everything and been scared of terrorists or we should stand against this terrorism he saidFans queuing for tickets in Lahore Friday agreed with several telling AFP they have security concerns but are not nervous Its a sign of international crickets revival in our country It also indicates that the Pakistani people hate terrorism and want peace said fan Uzair AhmadHowever negative perceptions will remain if you need 7000 cops to secure 25000 attendees said political commentator Fasi Zaka Its riskaverse international players and boards that need to be convinced and they are reacting to the general security situation Zaka told AFP But he added Pakistan is a demoralised country by the unexpected recent wave of terror every sliver of normalcy counts