Darren Sammy seeks support of Karachi’s Pashtuns as Zalmi facing United

F.P. Report

KARACHI: Tightened Security measures have been taken – with several rehearsals by the paramilitary Rangers and Police being carried out over the last week – for the Pakistan Super League Final, which is to be played at national Stadium Karachi here today.

Karachi hasn’t hosted any international players for since February 2009, making it a ‘historic day’ for the dwellers of the seaside Pakistan metropolis.

Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United, two top of the six PSL Franchises, will face each other in the PSL final today. Both teams on Saturday arrived in the stadium amid stern security measures for practice. More than 8,000 security personnel have been deployed for the Twenty20 final between Islamabad United and last year’s champions Peshawar Zalmi.

Zalmi’s skipper Darren Sammy said that his visit to Peshawar is ‘on cards’. “It’s a place I will visit soon,” he said. Sammy in a message to the West Indian team, which is expected to visit Pakistan to play three t20s in Karachi, said: “My message is that it’s a great place to play. All the best. It’s good to see international cricket in Karachi. Hopefully, it’s a great series. The fans are entertained,” he added.

The West Indians all rounder urged upon Pashtun Community of Karachi to come and support Zalmi against Islamabad united. Zalmi caption called opener Kamran Akmal as ‘his champion’ and said “Kamran Akmal is in red-hot form too, and they (Islamabad United) should be planning to stop my champion.” “We have our plans ready for Ronchi, hopefully, we will execute them,” he added. “But I cant tell you what our plans are.”

Ticket holders will park their vehicles at designated car parking areas. At the car park, they will undergo the first physical search, and their tickets will be verified by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) staff. Spectators are advised to park their vehicles in accordance with which enclosure’s tickets they have bought.

Ticket-holders of Hanif Mohammad, Quaid, Wasim Akram, Asif Iqbal, Waqar Hasan and Special Children enclosures are advised to park their vehicles at Kashmir Road parking spots. Ticket-holders of Intikhab Alam, Nasim-ul-Ghani, Iqbal Qasim, Mohammad Brothers and Wasim Bari enclosures should park their vehicles at the designated spots on University Road.

Ticket-holders of Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Imran Khan, Fazal Mahmood and Javed Miandad enclosures are advised to park their vehicles at Dalmia Road parking spots. Spectators must carry their tickets with them to the car parking areas, as they will not be permitted to park without tickets. After this, a shuttle service will pick the spectators and drop them off at the three designated drop zones: one at Expo Centre, one opposite Bahria University, and a third opposite Aga Khan Hospital.

There will be another physical search at the drop zone. Routes leading to and from Hassan Square and New Town will be closed for traffic on March 25.

However, the roads leading to private hospitals on the Stadium Road will remain open. Shahrah-e-Faisal and Shahrah-i-Quideen will also remain functional throughout. he traffic plan for the PSL 3 final in Karachi, as unveiled by police officials and the Sindh information minister on March 19. Ranger personnel will be responsible for security inside the National Stadium, while police and other law enforcement authorities will secure the stadium from the outside.

A total of 8,500 police personnel will be deployed around the stadium for the match, according to DIG Traffic Imran Yaqoob Minhas.