PSL organisers keen to host final in Lahore
Second players’ draft to be held after third qualifying final
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) organisers are keen to host the final of the tournament in Lahore. Every effort is being made by the authorities to take the tournament to Lahore through discussions with, not only team owners, but also the Pakistan government and military officials.
The organisers had planned to stage a second players’ draft on Wednesday but they have now decided to conduct it on March 4 after knowing who the finalists will be.
The third qualifying final between the play-off 2 winner and the play-off 1 loser will be held on March 3 at the Dubai International stadium and only then will the two teams be known.
Faisal Mirza, the PSL coordinator, in a tweet stated that the draft proposed for Wednesday had been postponed. “Lots of people asking re-draft tomorrow. No event as such. Teams will nominate standby players from private list, selections later-if needed,” he wrote.
Players warned
It is understood that the PCB had given a list of 54 foreign players who were available for the final in Lahore. The two finalists will be asked to select foreign players from that list. The Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) had already warned foreign players about the security risk in Lahore. A series of bomb blasts in Pakistan have already killed over 120 people in the last week.
All the five franchises held a meeting on Tuesday and agreed to play the final in Lahore. The teams are also following closely the response from Punjab’s provincial government. The federal government and the Pakistan Army have already assured full support to ensure the safety of the players.
When Kevin Pietersen and Darren Sammy were asked whether they would be willing to play the final in Lahore, they stated that they will think about it only if their team reaches the final. Discussions are also on as to how much more money foreign players will have to be paid extra if they do play in Lahore.
However, according to a PSL official, preparations are also being made to stage the final in Dubai in case it cannot be held in Lahore. The PSL matches have returned to Dubai after the second leg in Sharjah.