Zimbabwe tour prepartions continue as Pakistan defers squad announcement till next week
Chief selector Haroon Rasheed says only players with consistent performance will be selected for the squads
Preparation to host Zimbabwe are in full swing at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. PHOTO: Malik Shafiq/ Express
LAHORE:
Selectors on Saturday failed to finalise squads for the upcoming Twenty20 and One-day International home series against Zimbabwe, which chief selector Haroon Rasheed stating that the squad will be named next week.
Pakistan Cricket Board officials and selectors had a three hour long meeting on Saturday to finalise the squad, but failed to decide on the players. Rasheed said both that Twenty20 and ODI squads will consist of 15-members each.
"Hopefully players will be fully charged up to produce their best in front of the home crowd after a long gap," he said.
"We cannot pick the players with just one performance. They must be consistent to get into the team.”
Rasheed warned that the Zimbabwe team cannot be taken lightly because they are fighting side.
The preparations to host Zimbabwe are in full swing as Pakistan squad for the two-T20 and three-ODI match series, Express News reported.
The national selection committee’s meeting is expected to be held at 6pm today where Azhar Ali will also take part to help in the selection matters.
Meanwhile, the sale of the tickets has kicked off at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore where all the matches will be held.
Fans queued at various spots in Lahore in delight at the prospect of watching cricket matches at home.
"This is exciting," said Ishan Raza, waving his ticket for the first Twenty20 match on May 22.
"I have been waiting for this day for sometime now and will try to watch as many matches as possible," Raza said.
The colourful tickets, which the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said range in price from 150 rupees ($1.50) to 1,500 rupees ($15.00), include the message 'igniting a passion which brings a nation together'.
Security arrangements
The entry and exit points of the stadium have been secured with barbed wires and the adjacent shops at restaurants will be closed for next two weeks.
The DIG operations said that the team will be escorted in and out of the stadium surrounded by elite force officers.
All traffic will be suspended on the roads leading to the stadium while the team is travelling to and from the stadium. Also, aerial supervision will be done while the team travels from the airport to the hotel.
Notification for ticket holders
PCB released a notification for the spectators of the match which says that they will not be allowed to chant racist or inappropriate slogans.
No wrong gestures will be allowed in the stadium while the flags of any political or religious party will not be allowed into the stadium.
The spectators can only carry the flag of Pakistan but no sticks to hold the flag will be allowed.
Edible food, drinks, juices or any material of that sort will not be allowed in the stadium.
Past updates
Yesterday, PCB chairman Shahryar Khan, while addressing the media in Lahore, cleared all the confusion and said that the Zimbabwe team will visit Pakistan and everything will held as per schedule.
Shahryar said that he had a telephonic conversation with the President of Zimbabwe Cricket Union, Wilson Manase, and he confirmed their visit to Pakistan.
Shahryar said that the team will be arriving in Pakistan on Tuesday and the board has got the clearance from the government.
Earlier, on Thursday, the Zimbabwe team had announced that they are cancelling their tour to Pakistan due to security reasons. The bus attack on the Ismaili community which caused the death of 40 plus people in Karachi was cited as the reason but later the government gave Zimbabwe cricket team the clearance to visit Pakistan under strict security.
Selectors on Saturday failed to finalise squads for the upcoming Twenty20 and One-day International home series against Zimbabwe, which chief selector Haroon Rasheed stating that the squad will be named next week.
Pakistan Cricket Board officials and selectors had a three hour long meeting on Saturday to finalise the squad, but failed to decide on the players. Rasheed said both that Twenty20 and ODI squads will consist of 15-members each.
"Hopefully players will be fully charged up to produce their best in front of the home crowd after a long gap," he said.
"We cannot pick the players with just one performance. They must be consistent to get into the team.”
Rasheed warned that the Zimbabwe team cannot be taken lightly because they are fighting side.
The preparations to host Zimbabwe are in full swing as Pakistan squad for the two-T20 and three-ODI match series, Express News reported.
The national selection committee’s meeting is expected to be held at 6pm today where Azhar Ali will also take part to help in the selection matters.
Meanwhile, the sale of the tickets has kicked off at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore where all the matches will be held.
Fans queued at various spots in Lahore in delight at the prospect of watching cricket matches at home.
"This is exciting," said Ishan Raza, waving his ticket for the first Twenty20 match on May 22.
"I have been waiting for this day for sometime now and will try to watch as many matches as possible," Raza said.
The colourful tickets, which the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said range in price from 150 rupees ($1.50) to 1,500 rupees ($15.00), include the message 'igniting a passion which brings a nation together'.
Security arrangements
The entry and exit points of the stadium have been secured with barbed wires and the adjacent shops at restaurants will be closed for next two weeks.
The DIG operations said that the team will be escorted in and out of the stadium surrounded by elite force officers.
All traffic will be suspended on the roads leading to the stadium while the team is travelling to and from the stadium. Also, aerial supervision will be done while the team travels from the airport to the hotel.
Notification for ticket holders
PCB released a notification for the spectators of the match which says that they will not be allowed to chant racist or inappropriate slogans.
No wrong gestures will be allowed in the stadium while the flags of any political or religious party will not be allowed into the stadium.
The spectators can only carry the flag of Pakistan but no sticks to hold the flag will be allowed.
Edible food, drinks, juices or any material of that sort will not be allowed in the stadium.
Past updates
Yesterday, PCB chairman Shahryar Khan, while addressing the media in Lahore, cleared all the confusion and said that the Zimbabwe team will visit Pakistan and everything will held as per schedule.
Shahryar said that he had a telephonic conversation with the President of Zimbabwe Cricket Union, Wilson Manase, and he confirmed their visit to Pakistan.
Shahryar said that the team will be arriving in Pakistan on Tuesday and the board has got the clearance from the government.
Earlier, on Thursday, the Zimbabwe team had announced that they are cancelling their tour to Pakistan due to security reasons. The bus attack on the Ismaili community which caused the death of 40 plus people in Karachi was cited as the reason but later the government gave Zimbabwe cricket team the clearance to visit Pakistan under strict security.