Fate of PSL final to be decided on Monday

By
Faizan Lakhani
|

DUBAI: The owners of all five Pakistan Super League franchises will sit with the league’s management tomorrow to discuss whether the final could be played in Lahore or not.

Sources told geo.tv that the meeting is likely to finally decide the fate of PSL final, which was earlier scheduled to be held in Lahore on March 5th.

"Najam Sethi, the chairman of PSL, will brief the franchise owners about the arrangements made for the final," said a source.

"Franchise owners will also share their point of views regarding the final, and most of the team owners have concerns over playing the final in Lahore," the source added.

At least two franchise owners have, off the record, expressed their concerns over the final in Lahore.

Foreign players are also reluctant to speak and discuss the matter of playing final in Lahore.

Clouds of uncertainty currently loom over the final of the tournament, which is scheduled to be held in Lahore next month.

The PCB insists the final will be held in Lahore, with or without foreign players. PSL Chairman Najam Sethi has meanwhile left it to the fans’ discretion whether they want the final in Lahore without international players or in Dubai with international players.

PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan on Wednesday reiterated the board’s resolve to hold the PSL final in Lahore.

“We have told the government we are organising the final in Lahore,” he said.

Najam Sethi has emphasised that if fans want the PSL final to be held in Lahore, the PCB would honour their wish.

Questions have been raised on whether the PSL final will still be held in Lahore following a bomb blast in the city which claimed 14 lives on Monday.

Giles Clarke, Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Task Force on Pakistan, also applauded Pakistan’s determination to organise the final of the PSL in Lahore despite the fresh wave of terror attacks.

“I have a very strong opinion that we should never, ever allow terrorism and terrorists to dictate what we do. Terrorists have no place in our society or anywhere on earth,” Clarke was quoted as saying in an interview.