Pakistan is set to mark historic day for the final of Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore
LAHORE – The wait is over as buoyant Peshawar Zalmi and rampant Quetta Gladiators are set to clash in the final of the second edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL 2017) on Sunday at Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore. The match will start at 8:00 PM according to Pakistan Standard Time and the match will air on PTV sports, Geo Super and Ten Sports.
Gaddafi Stadium has been decorated by different companies sponsoring the event. Even SSG paratroopers got into the act and jumped out of airplanes over Gaddafi Stadium for aerial acrobatics. The closing ceremony will commence at 6.00pm while massive fireworks have been planned at the conclusion of the big game, subject to permission from the security agencies. It will be the highest-level game in Pakistan since a 2009 assault on the Sri Lanka team bus killed six people and wounded several players.
Squad of Peshawar and Quetta
The Peshawar Zalmi team management has announced that all their foreign players — Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Chris Jordan, David Malan and Samit Patel — are set to play in Lahore. However, the Quetta Gladiators will be without their key foreign players such as Kevin Pietersen, Tymal Mills, Luke Wright and Rilee Rossouw who have already left for their respective homelands.
But on the other hand, Quetta has drafted in four fresh foreign cricketers in Sean Ervine (Zimbabwe), Morne Van Wyk (South Africa), Elton Chigumbura (Zimbabwe) and Rayad Emrit (West Indies) for the final.
Quetta Gladiators playing the final for the second time. It will be the fourth clash between the two teams as they have met thrice in the league stage and the play-off.
Gladiators skipper Sarfraz Ahmed says that although his side lost last year, but this time they would definitely win the final against Peshawar Zalmi.
Peshawar Zalmi suffered a big shock when their experienced all-rounder in Shahid Afridi received 12 stitches on his hand after getting injured during the third play-off against Karachi Kings in Dubai on Friday night to make exit from the event.
Security Arrangements
Unprecedented security arrangements have been put in place where the army personnel, rangers, and police officials have completely cordoned off the area and their vehicles are frequently patrolling the stadium. NADRA has deployed its four mobile database vans in the stadium to check against any fake NICs then and there. A temporary 25-bed hospital has also been set up at the National Hockey Stadium, adjacent to Gaddafi Stadium, to meet any medical emergency. It will be working 24 hours.
Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has installed high-resolution closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the venue and main roads for round-the-clock surveillance and monitoring. Law enforcing agencies have also made arrangements for aerial monitoring of the city, especially Gaddafi Stadium.
Prime Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa have assured VIP-level security arrangements for the teams which are normally reserved for state heads.
Numbers involved in preps
• 15,000 police, Rangers and army personnel deployed
• 300 medical technicians, firefighters, and disaster rescuers
• Rs250 is Careem’s special fare for rides to the stadium
• 30 mobile rescue posts set up at Gaddafi Stadium
• 12 fire vehicles, 4 rescue vans stationed