Pakistan is ready to host an international cricket tournament after a gap of 29 years and the hosts are making sure that there are no stones unturned in making the event a successful one.
The last major ICC tournament to be hosted by Pakistan was the 1996 Cricket World Cup with Sri Lanka and India as co-hosts. After that, the terrorist attack on the visiting Sri Lankan team in 2009 deprived the nation of opportunities to host international matches as overseas teams were reluctant to come.
Along with the hosts, India, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand and South Africa will participate in the event and all the matches will be played in Pakistan barring the India matches which will be played in Dubai.
Here is how the country is preparing for the events:
Tight security measures
The country has organized comprehensive security team for the tournament and Punjab Police will take care of the security in Lahore and Rawalpindi. As reported by Pakistani news outlet Geo TV, over 12,000 officers and personnel will be deployed to ensure the security during the matches.
Three matches will be played in Lahore on February 22, 26, and March 5 while three matches will be organised in Rawalpindi on February 24, 25 and 27.
A total of 18 senior officers, 54 DSPs, 135 inspectors, and 1,200 upper subordinates will be on duty, while 10,556 constables and over 200 female police officers will also be assigned security and checking duties.
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The tournament will kick off on February 19 (Wednesday) with the opening match in Karachi between Pakistan and New Zealand, which will be played after a small ceremony at the National Bank Cricket Stadium.
PIA announces new flights
Apart from the security measures, Pakistan’s national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced special charter flights for the fans.
There will be nine special charter flights that will be operated between Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore during the event for the smooth transportation of both fans and teams. PIA will be also showcase the culture of Pakistan during these flights.
While there were questions about the readiness of Pakistan for the event, the country looks set to welcome the return of major ICC tournament.