Fans unperturbed by security arrangements

KARACHI: A huge number of people were seen entering the National Stadium here on Sunday to witness the showdown between Quetta Gladiators and Karachi Kings on the second day of the final phase of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) amid unprecedented security arrangements.

Rangers and police officials were deployed in large numbers both inside and outside the venue in order to avert any untoward incident as the event is being monitored by the security officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and international cricketers association (FICA).

The foreign security experts were also seen making videos of the helicopter which was hovering over the venue when both the teams were being brought to the stadium amid tight security.

Experts of Bangladesh and Cricket Australia are also scheduled to arrive here to see the security arrangements. The security officials frisked every spectator on the way to the stadium, at the stadium’s gates and then at enclosures. They also checked every vehicle thoroughly.

Unlike the first day, a huge crowd was witnessed on Sunday with most of the spectators supporting Karachi Kings, who were in dire need of a win against Quetta Gladiators to stay alive in the six-team event.

The road leading to the stadium from Hasan Square was full of people who were on their way to their respective enclosures.With the game yet one hour away, no unrest was seen among the spectators who were waiting in long queues with great patience to enter the stadium which was called “a spectacular venue” by Colin Ingram, the South African hard-hitting batsman at a press conference on Saturday.

A large part of the crowd was seen utilising the facility of shuttle buses, arranged by the government for bringing fans from various pick-up points. “It’s not difficult to come. A little bit of tough time has to be faced when you want international cricket. It’s time for us to support the security moves of the government,” said Hassan Khan, a Karachi University graduate, while talking to ‘The News’.

Five walk-through gates had been installed in front of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) office near Hassan Square. Walk-through gates were waiting for the excited fans at the venue’s main gate and then at the enclosures, too.

“Karachi Kings are our team,” said Imran, who was going towards enclosure No13. “I support Karachi Kings. I want to see Karachi in the playoffs at least,” said Kanwal, a first-year student.A large number of security officials were also deployed at different points at Shahrah-e-Faisal.

This correspondent also saw at different points that tickets were being sold out in black. Interestingly, a boy was seen selling tickets of Rs2500 on down-payment. When this correspondent asked him the reason he replied, “We had purchased three tickets of Rs2500 each. Now five persons of our family want to witness the matches so I am trying to sell them and will purchase tickets of low prices so that all five persons could see the matches,” the boy said. Three to four hours before start of the match, private vehicles and rickshaws were allowed on the key road which leads from Karsaz to the Agha Khan Hospital and Hassan Square.