‘NSK work to be done 15 days before final’

KARACHI: The development work at National Cricket Stadium (NSK) continues at a moderate pace and the engineering staff says it will be completed at least 15 days before the final of the PSL in Karachi.

The PCB is to hold an important meeting of all stakeholders on February 7 to finalise the arrangements of a full-dress rehearsal for PSL matches, ‘The News’ learnt on Sunday.The rehearsal of the security arrangements for the PSL final is likely to be organised on February 11.

It was learnt that on the basis of the rehearsal, recommendations will be made to the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association, which will then decide whether or not to allow foreign players to participate in the PSL final.

The participants of the meeting on February 7 will be officials of police, Army, intelligence agencies, Rangers, city commissioner, DG Protocol ASF, CAA, and K-Electric.

The director security and the general manager of the National Stadium will also be in attendance. “We will hand over the NSK to PCB management around 15 days before the final of the PSL, so that the PCB could organise the event according to its planning,” an engineer told this scribe.

Two lifts have been imported from France to be installed at the main building at NSK. The engineer said that its installation would begin in a few days. The public toilets at 14 enclosures of the stadium are being constructed at a fast pace and would be completed in the stipulated time, the engineer said.

The dressing rooms have been renovated and washrooms are being built anew. All hospitality boxes in the stadium are also being developed afresh, he added. Sources mentioned that roofs of enclosures which were rusted would be repaired after the PSL final as it would take some time. They said quality material would be used to prevent rusting.

The PCB chairman has said that they wanted to organise the PSL final at NSK but if it was not possible the “PCB has also a plan B”. The successful tour of World Hockey XI last month has established the fact that the city can host international sports competitions.

The World XI consisted of players from seven countries, including Holland, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Australia and Argentina. Hockey greats Paul Litjents, Jan Bovelander and Christian Blunck, who visited Pakistan during the World XI series for PHF’s Hall of Fame ceremony, said the conditions in the country were good enough for international sports activities.

Before the World XI’s tour, various sports events involving foreign players had been held, including exhibition football matches. The players included Ronaldinho, Ryan Giggs, Dutch star George Boateng, former England goalkeeper David James, former French players Robert Pires and Nicolas Anelka, and Portugal’s Luis Boa Morte. WWE wrestlers also visited Karachi last year for a competition.