KARACHI:
Exhibition matches between a Pakistan All Stars and World XI have been confirmed to take place at the National Stadium, Karachi this weekend.
Sindh Sports Minister and an avid cricket organiser, Dr Mohammad Ali Shah, who has arranged the much-needed action amid drought of international cricket, announced that all the arrangements to hold the two matches were final. The matches will be played on October 20 and 21 with former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya (World XI) and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi (Pakistan All Stars) named captains.
The visiting team will also include Ricardo Powell (West Indies), Justin Kemp, Andre Nel, (South Africa), Shapoor Zadran and Mohammad Shehzad Mohammadi (Afghanistan). Former captain Younus Khan, Nasir Jamshed, Umar Akmal and Umar Gul are among the national stars who will play in the Afridi-led team. The World XI is scheduled to arrive in Karachi on October 18 and, according to Dr Shah, exemplary security arrangements will be made to ensure safety of players.
“A total of 5,000 security officials will be involved in security and other arrangements,” Shah told a press conference at the National Stadium yesterday. “These include police, Rangers and traffic officials who will ensure the matches are held in a befitting manner.”
Shah said the games will help create a soft image of the country.
“It will be a first step towards revival of international cricket in Pakistan. It will also help the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf who is working hard to revive the staging of international cricket.”
While no PCB official accompanied Dr Shah at the press conference, he was grateful to the board which was supporting him.
PCB distance itself from affairs
Meanwhile, the PCB wished luck to Dr Shah but distanced itself from obligations of arrangements.
“The PCB has released its players for the matches,” said a PCB media release. “The board has also permitted the use of National Stadium for these matches. But all other obligations including security, anti-corruption, marketing and broadcasting etc are direct responsibility of the organiser and were to be managed by him.”
TEAMS
World XI
S Jayasuriya, R Powell, S Taylor, J Charles, A Sanford, J Kemp, L Bosman, M Tschabalala, A Nel, A Seymore, M Hayword, S Zadran, M Shehzad Mohammadi
Pakistan All Stars
S Afridi, Y Khan, N Jamshed, A Shafiq, S Hasan, K Latif, U Akmal, F Alam, S Malik, U Gul, M Sami, W Riaz, S Ahmed, F Iqbal, A Ali, I Nazir, T Ahmed, R Raja, F Ahmed, A Hussain
Tickets to be made available from today
The organisers have also set cheap rates for the tickets which will be available at various centres in Karachi from today.
The entry pass for the general enclosure is available at just Rs30, while tickets denominations for other enclosures are Rs200 and Rs500.
The tickets will be available at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Moin Khan Academy, Karachi Gymkhana, Landhi Gymkhana, KCCA Stadium, TMC Ground, AO Clinic, National Coaching Center, UBL Sports Complex, ZA Sports Nazimabad, Miandad Sports Karimabad, ZA Sports Model Colony and Pak Star Cricket Stadium.
To facilitate the ticket holders, a shuttle service will also be made available from six points of the city, transporting fans to the stadium.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 17th, 2012.
COMMENTS (19)
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@vickram: in the absence of all indian players world 11 will always be known as world 11
@vickram: Do you indians ever show support? Did any indian cricketer came out and told he is available to play in World XI.
Don't blame us if you can't gather enough guts.
@Khan: That's why I said "hope". Karachi is no tribal area but that doesn't mean it doesn't have the security issues, the whole country does. The success of this event doesn't mean that the international teams will jump up and say we are ready to tour Pakistan, but this can be one of the many steps that needs to be taken for international cricket to resume in Pakistan. Why not start now rather than 2015. From the looks of things, unless someone has a magic wand, how you see the situation improve in 2015?
Sri Lanka was in turmoil for many years but international cricket continued there with air tight security, planning and competent management. If Pakistan can replicate that then these exhibition games are not a bad start.
@anon:
I think you've missed vickram's sarcasm.
@Green Oval:
This is such ridiculous move .. just making fun of oneself. How much shortsighted people are in our society is beyond me... Imagine if your relative and family goes to Tribal areas to play cricket and are shot at which results in few people getting killed .. would you send your loved ones again there if the situation is still the same? If any untoward incident happened we will say good for the cricket for at least few decades which can totally destroy the only major sport that we play. There should be no international cricket match at least till 2015 and if the situation has improved till then, then every one will come to play on their own without any doubt. But just a lull doesn't mean every thing is fine.
Welcome World,, i am sure international teams will be following you,, good luck Shah. PCB plz join Shah.. help him make this event a success..
@anon: Well said. The IPL invited the Pakistani players for the bidding process and all the participants sat silently and mum like good and obedient schoolchildren hoping to get a toffee. It was a clear-cut slap and insult on our players who foolishly fell for the trap.
All Pakistanis, please pray that the Sindh government and the departments involved stick to the terms of the contract and commitment and do not come up with a 'flip flop' excuse at the last moment. This will jeopardize the nation's integrity or whatever that is left of it, completely.
Salams
@vickram: How many Pakistanis were in the IPL?
As an Indian, I am upset that the World XI does not have any Indian player in the team. They could have at least included Kapil Dev or Vijay Merchant.
Oh Please Dear respected Govt , Please kindly ensure security to all our guests here . Rehman Malik please tell your Men ( talibans) not to cause any trouble this time
We need these sports please respect our guests
I hope Afridi will not disappoint this time ;)
I am huge cricket fan but seriously do you really think we can have an International team in Pakistan with the Taliban attacking the most secure military installations in the country! I really hope for Pakistan's sake that no one comes to Pakistan until we have peace in this country. We can't afford to have another incident like the one on the Sri Lankan cricket team.
It is a very nice step for the revival of Int. Cricket in Cricket Crazy country....Best wishes for its organizers.
Keeping in view Surgeon Shah's affiliation and the places where tickets are available, I hope it will not become an MQM affair!
Now here is a chance for Afridi to perform with the bat against a weak opposition and in an insignificant game.
World xi, really ? joke.........
Hats off to Dr. Shah and everyone associated with this event. We need more people like Dr. Shah who take the initiatives and serve the country in the true sense. Best wishes for the success of these exhibition matches, and hope that this opens up the door for the international cricket in Pakistan.
Welcome to PAKISTAN.