Najam Sethi assures overseas stars security in Pakistan T20 league final

Dubai, Feb 7 (CRICKETNMORE): Pakistan Super League (PSL) chairman Najam Sethi on Tuesday met all the overseas cricketers in the league to assure them of the security arrangements for the tournament's March 5 final, to be held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Sethi said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has received assurances from the Punjab government and other security agencies and is confident they can conduct the match without trouble, according to a espncricinfo report.

All other matches, including the Play-offs of the PSL, will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), leaving the final for Lahore.

According to the report, the PCB, in its attempt to woo foreign players to travel to Pakistan, have invested in four bulletproof buses and also been mulling the idea of flying the players in for the PSL final on the day of the match and immediately flying them out at the end of it.

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Sethi also expressed confidence that the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Federation of International Cricketers' Association (FICA) will endorse the security arrangements for the PSL final.

PSL ambassadors Ramiz Raja and Wasim Akram also urged foreign players to visit the city for the final.

"Lahore is a beautiful city, the perceptions about the place might be muddled, but I can assure you that the players who will travel will be making a priceless contribution to Pakistan cricket," Raja said. 

"Once you taste the flavour of cricket in the country you will come to realise how welcoming the crowds are. I am hoping that cricket can be brought back to Pakistan, it will be a huge contribution to the emotions of the cricket fans in the country."

Akram, who was born in Lahore, said: "Growing up I saw legends like Michael Holding, Sunil Gavaskar etc play in the stadiums in flesh which was hugely inspiring."

"It is imperative that cricket returns to the country, Pakistanis are passionate about the game. Let me also remind you all that the government will do everything possible to ensure the safety of the players," he added.

The league stage of the PSL will start from Thursday with the Islamabad United taking on Peshawar Zalmi in the opening tie at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.