The Sunday Mail
THE Zimbabwe cricket team is expected to leave for Pakistan today for a much-anticipated limited overs series.
Although Zimbabwe Cricket officials chose to remain mum last night, several players interviewed by The Sunday Mail confirmed the trip while reports from Pakistan indicated that tickets for the tour went on sale yesterday.
The tour was thrown into doubt last Thursday when ZC announced that they had suspended the tour before making a u-turn saying talks were ongoing.
The ZC statement came after the Sports and Recreation Commission had advised against the tour after militants killed 45 minority Shiites on a bus in the southern port city of Karachi on Wednesday.
However, ZC chairman Wilson Manase is said to have told Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan that he had security clearance from the Government to go ahead with the tour on Friday.
The PCB also said it had received written confirmation from ZC late Friday night that it would send its team to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Pakistani policemen featured in a dress rehearsal on Saturday to provide security for a planned visit by Zimbabwe’s cricket team to the eastern city of Lahore.
Zimbabwe is set to be the first test-playing nation to tour Pakistan since gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus — also in Lahore — in 2009.
Six police officials and a van driver were killed during the ambush while several Sri Lankan team members were wounded.
Yesterday, two blue-coloured team buses were shown surrounded by at least a dozen police vans in television footage from Allama Iqbal International Airport where Zimbabwe is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday.
Dozens of police officials monitored security arrangements at the Gaddafi Stadium, which is scheduled to host two Twenty20s and three one-day internationals in a 10-day period starting May 22.
Geo Television said that at least 3 000 policemen will be inside the 27 000-seat stadium during the matches.
Two helipads — one close to Gaddafi Stadium and another near the team hotel — will also be built in case of emergency.
A special surveillance centre has been established near the stadium to monitor security arrangements.
Ticket sales began yesterday with the text “Igniting a passion that brings together a nation” written on the centre of the ticket.
Inside the stadium, workers were busy repairing spectators’ stands. — Sports Reporter/AP.
