Islamabad face Lahore as HBL PSL comes home

KARACHI: Cricket-mad Pakistan is welcoming a host of foreign stars who defied security fears to feature in the last eight matches of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL), starting here at the National Stadium from Saturday (today).

Defending champions Islamabad United, who need a win to qualify for the play-offs, will face Lahore Qalandars in a crucial match on Saturday. Islamabad have eight points in nine games.United’s skipper Mohammad Sami remains confident that his team can pull off a win to qualify for the final stage.

“I think this is the right time to peak,” said Sami on Friday as teams started practicing at the refurbished National Stadium. “Maybe players have not done well in the last few matches, but everyone knows that now is the right time to peak and do well in the knock-out games. So, I hope the players will do well in these matches,” he said.

Sami hoped people will come in good numbers to make the HBL PSL matches a success.“This is my home town and home ground, so I am happy that all our foreign players are here and it is good for Pakistan cricket,” said Sami. “I am sure the atmosphere will be electric.”

Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars are once again in the danger zone with just six points from their eight games. They have also lost their key batsman AB de Villiers to injury.

The South African maestro injured his back and had to abandon his plans to tour Pakistan for the last two round matches.But their captain Fakhar Zaman hoped his team can lift the tempo.

“We know these two matches are very important for us,” said Fakhar. “We are up for the challenge and hope that victories will take us into the play-offs.”“We will try to do our best because these are very crucial matches. Captaincy is a challenge for me but I am not taking any pressure. I have done it before but not at this level,” he said.

Some 40 foreign players — led by former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson, current New Zealand opener Colin Munro and West Indian stars Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy and Kieron Pollard — arrive here on Friday to join the six-team competition.

Watson, who plays for Quetta Gladiators but declined to visit Pakistan for the HBL PSL final and three play-off matches in 2017, said he consulted his family before taking the trip.“It was a tough decision to make,” said Watson, who played 59 Tests, 190 one-day and 58 Twenty20 internationals for Australia before retiring in 2016.

“It´s been 14 years since I last visited Pakistan, a place with some of the most passionate fans in world cricket. Can´t wait to give it our best shot in winning the trophy,” Watson said in a video message released by the Gladiators.

He was part of the last Australian “A” team that toured Pakistan in 2005.The chief executive of the International Cricket Council David Richardson and Cricket Australia head of security Sean Carroll are among the foreign officials who are also set to visit.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani said the matches will help improve the country´s chances of reviving international cricket.“I am delighted to welcome the foreign players who have come here for the PSL and I am sure it will help us bringing more international matches to the country,” said Mani.

Pakistan has gradually revived international cricket since it was suspended following attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore ten years ago.It was six years before Pakistan hosted any international cricket when minnows Zimbabwe toured in 2015, while the Gaddafi Stadium hosted the PSL final in March 2017, and a World XI also played three Twenty20 internationals in Lahore.

But the biggest event was Sri Lanka´s return for a one-off Twenty20 international in October 2017. Mani said holding the remainder of the PSL this year, including the March 17 final, and a possible 16 PSL matches next year will add to the momentum.

“The perception that foreigners have about the safety situation in Pakistan will change and they will be satisfied with the security arrangements,” he said.Some 13,000 policemen and 2,500 para-military personnel will be on duty, and police said fans will be required to show their tickets and national identity cards.

England´s Liam Dawson, part of the Peshawar team, said he looks forward to playing before passionate crowds.“I toured Pakistan last year and the atmosphere was unbelievable. We played three games and the crowd was electric,” he recalled.“It will be the same this time as well and I am happy to be part of that cricket revival.” —with inputs from agencies