PSL glow again in Lahore
PSL glow again in Lahore in the country’s cultural capital from today as the first leg has concluded in Karachi. PSL teams including Multan Sultans, Islamabad United, and Peshawar have landed in Lahore from Karachi through special flights while all the teams took to the specially booked accommodation facilities.
With all sides now having played five matches each, defending champions Multan Sultans are on top of the table with 10 points. They are followed by Islamabad United, Lahore Qalandars (six points apiece), Quetta Gladiators, Peshawar Zalmi (four points each) and Karachi Kings (zero point). Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators have lost three matches so far. With a better run rate, Zalmi is fourth on the points table followed by Gladiators. Karachi Kings have not yet tasted victory in the seventh edition of PSL. The Kings, who have lost five matches in a row, are last in the points table.
Punjab’s home department has set up a control room to monitor the overall management and activities of PSL-7. Lahore’s authorities, civil and police, said the control room will work 24/7 under the supervision of Additionally Secretary Home (Internal Security). The control room will be linked with the Safe City Authority cameras. And officers will perform live monitoring of the teams.
Senior officers and officials of different units of Lahore Police including SPs, SDPOs, SHOs, Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit and Elite Force will be performing security, patrolling and traffic management duties during the matches to ensure foolproof security of the event along with the smooth flow of traffic.
Full house for Lahore fans
Following the slight drop in new Covid infections, the NCOC allowed fifty percent spectators in first few matches of the second leg. The first match will be played between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi at 07:30 pm on Thursday. Lahore stadium will return to full capacity from Feb 16 as the top monitoring body on novel Covid-19 has decided to ease restrictions amid the lowering trend of a novel virus. According to the top coronavirus monitoring body, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) got the approval to allow 50 percent spectators of the stadium’s capacity in matches till February 15 while full crowd occupancy has been allowed for the remainder of the flagship cricket league.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman (PCB) Ramiz Raja is excited to see the challenge each team is posing to their opponents in the PSL and believes that the Lahore leg is going to be more exciting.
“The matches here will be extraordinary and I requested the people of Lahore to march towards the stadium in maximum numbers,” Raja said.
He also acknowledged the decision of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) to allow the full capacity crowd from February 16.
“PSL is a world-class event, if more spectators come to the stadium, the festival will be decorated,” he said.
Military deployment for PSL
Besides security, other arrangements for the matches have also been finalized. Gaddafi Stadium looks fully prepared for the matches while a security plan has also been drawn up. At the beginning of the matches, Gaddafi Stadium will be taken over by Pakistan Army and Rangers.
On Monday, the Punjab cabinet has approved the deployment of the Pakistan Army and paramilitary forces during the second leg of the cricket league. The deployment has been approved to maintain law and order and to avoid any untoward incident amid the games. City traffic police have also issued a traffic advisory plan for the second phase of the T20 tournament. The second half will begin on February 10 and 19 games will be played in the provincial capital of the most populous region.
At least 11 DSPs and 90 inspectors will perform their duties while more than 700 wardens will be deployed on routes. 20 fork-lifters and five breakdowns will be deployed to remove wrongly-parked vehicles. Lahore traffic police also conducted a drill for the security of the matches.
