The Kenyan cricket team has reached Lahore as per schedule for playing five One-Day games against the Pakistan-A team. The series is of significant importance for both countries.

As far as hosts are concerned, it is a test case for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Punjab government to remove the stigma of blunder it had committed in providing a foolproof security to the Sri Lankan team in March 2009.

The Islanders were attacked by militants, killing eight policemen and injuring two visitors’ cricketers and an ICC umpire. The incident has virtually closed the doors of international sports events for Pakistan.

Our cricket team is forced to play its home series in the UAE while the condition of our national game hockey is more miserable as it has no funds to host any country at any neutral venue like the UAE.

Though the tour of Kenya to Lahore is not enough for any Test playing nation to send its team to Pakistan, it may prove a first step in the right direction.

A strict security has been provided to the Kenyan team. Half of the area of the Nishtar Sports Complex, where the Qadhafi Stadium and the National Cricket Academy (NCA) are located, has become a ‘no-go area’. Even the PCB staff is not allowed to park their vehicles in that area. However, there is no restriction in rest of the complex area as the Punjab Sports Board (PSB) has built an iron-grill wall around every stadium located there.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and the PSB staff are free to enter from the south-west gate and visitors of the Pakistan Football Federation and Punjab Stadium have an access from the south-east gate. Except for security personnel, both main gates of the complex are closed for all and sundry.

All food restaurants doing roaring business around the Qadhafi Stadium will also remain closed till the departure of the Kenyan team on Dec 21. The closure of business has been a routine practice at the time of arrival of any foreign team.

Apart from owners of food restaurants, the other sufferers are the cricketers who are deprived of daily net practice at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) ground. The ground is giving a haunted look as it is entirely under the control of law enforcement agencies.

Since the ground is located adjacent to the National Cricket Academy building, where the Kenyan team is staying, the entire area has been declared a sensitive area.

For the visiting team, the tour is important because it is an opportunity for them to prepare for the next month World Cricket League Division-II. It is being held in Namibia.

Lahore will also witness an international tennis activity next week as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) has allocated a tournament for seniors.

Tournament director Rashid Malik, also a Davis Cupper and Pakistan coach, disclosed that seven Indian senior players had confirmed their entries for the event. He says some entries from Germany are also received but he can’t confirm their participation until they get visas.

The event will be played at the lush green courts of Bagh-i-Jinnah under the supervision of the Punjab Lawn Tennis Association. The venue is famous for foreign players as it has organized a good number of Davis Cup ties and international tournaments in the past.

Hopefully, the provincial government will also make necessary security arrangements at the Bagh-i-Jinnah.

Agood number of 40 women attended the first ever weightlifting technical official course which was held this week at the Punjab University, Old Campus Centre. Pakistan Weightlifting Federation secretary Hafiz Imran Butt says the number of participation is very encouraging and he sees a good future of women in this sport.

He as chairman of the Pakistan Weightlifting Referee Association will also conduct the course along with Muhammad Rashed Malik. All females are students of the sports sciences which has become a popular subject in many varsities. The 2nd National Women Weightlifting Championship is also being held at the same venue next week.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2014