Despite terror threat, PSL final will be held at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium

Despite the recent terror attack in Lahore, the Pakistan Super League final will be played at the city’s Gaddafi Stadium on March 5, Reuters reported.

There is still a cloud over participation of foreign players in the marquee clash with many coming forward and expressing their unwillingness to make the trip to the eastern Pakistani city, where 13 people were killed during a bomb blast earlier this month.

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s executive committee chairman, Najam Sethi, remained optimistic, stating that the country will not be “blackmailed” by terror groups. “The nation has shown its passion and unity. The Pakistani nation is peaceful and it will not be blackmailed,” he said.

Incidentally, the Gaddafi Stadium is the same venue outside which a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked in 2009 by gunmen while they were heading to the stadium from their hotel. Six players were wounded during the incident, while six security personnel and two civilians were killed.

Since the attack, the Pakistan national team has been forced to play nearly all of its international games in the UAE with most teams refusing to travel to the terror-stricken country. In that period, only Zimbabwe has visited Pakistan for a short tour.

In its second year, the PSL continues to be held in the United Arab Emirates. However, the league is a huge hit on Pakistani television. The popularity had prompted the PCB to organise the final in the country this year. The move, though, remains a contentious one, with many Pakistani personalities and foreign cricketers criticising the decision in light of the volatile situation.

Former Pakistani captain-turned-politician Imran Khan labelled the cricket board’s insistence on hosting the final in the country as madness. “The idea of having the PSL final in Lahore is madness to me,” he was quoted as saying by PTI. “What message of peace will we send out in such conditions. If something, god forbid, happens, then it will put Pakistan cricket back by 10 years.”

Star cricketers Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, who play for PSL outfit Karachi Kings, have already refused to play in Lahore if their team makes it to the final.

According to the Express Tribune, around 50 cricketers have expressed their desire to participate in the title-deciding match. Reports suggest that the PCB has offered international players bonus sums ranging between $10,000-$50,000 to make the trip.

Meanwhile, the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association has warned international players not to visit Pakistan. “We have to wait until March 3 to know which foreign players will travel to Lahore, as we still do not know which two teams will qualify,” Sethi said.