Pakistan's Biggest City Will Witness A High-profile Cricket Match For The First Time In Nine Years On Sunday

United Kingdom, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Mar, 2018 ) :Pakistan's biggest city will witness a high-profile cricket match for the first time in nine years on Sunday when the Pakistan Super League final is staged amid heavy security at a newly renovated National Stadium in Karachi, Daily mail reported.

According to the paper, more than 8,000 security personnel have been deployed for the Twenty20 final between Islamabad United and last year's champions Peshawar Zalmi. Karachi, now with a population of 15 million, last saw a major game with international players in February 2009 - Sri Lanka vs.

Pakistan in a test match. The paper further reported that a Pakistani paramilitary soldier stands guard at the main entrance of National Stadium ahead of Pakistan Super League final in Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday, March 24, 2018.

It added that Pakistan's biggest city will witness a high-profile cricket match for the first time in nine years on Sunday when the Pakistan Super League final is staged amid heavy security at a newly renovated National Stadium in Karachi.

On the same tour, terrorists attacked the Sri Lanka team bus at Lahore. On March 3, 2009, the bus carrying the visiting cricketers, part of a large convoy, was fired upon by 12 gunmen near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

They were on their way to play the third day of the second test against Pakistan, and six Pakistan policemen and two civilians were killed, and six members of the Sri Lanka team were injured. That resulted in an end to international cricket in the country, and the Pakistan Cricket board was left with no choice but to choose United Arab Emirates as its "home" turf to host international teams, the paper said.

The paper said ,however, the PCB continued in its efforts to convince foreign nations to begin touring Pakistan. Lahore first hosted the PSL final last year, and there were Twenty20 international matches organized against a World XI (three matches) and Sri Lanka (one).

The provincial administration in Karachi has put up in place stringent security arrangements for Sunday's final. Spectators might have to wait in long queues hours before the evening final and will get into the stadium only after going through at least three security checkpoints.

But the city is giving a festive look to welcome foreign players like Peshawar Zalmi's Darren Sammy of West Indies and Chris Jordan of England, and South African J.P. Duminy and New Zealand's Luke Ronchi of Islamabad United,the newspaper said.

It added that Billboards and player cut-outs have been displayed on the sides of main streets to celebrate an international-standard game for the first time in nearly a decade. Sammy has become a household name in Pakistan - especially the way he has carried Zalmi to the final after playing four successive matches with a leg injury.

"Yes Karachi we're coming," Sammy said in a video message. "I want you all to come and support Peshawar Zalmi. I want everybody to wear the yellow shirt, it's a yellow storm, we're coming." APP/kmd/