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Pakistan Super League (PSL) Chairman Najam Sethi promised cricket fans in Pakistan that the PSL final will be held in the city of Lahore, even in the absence of foreign players, if the fans do not want the venue to change following Monday's bombing.
“The foreign players have refused to play the final in Lahore after Monday’s blast, but if the citizens of Pakistan want the final of PSL to be held in Lahore despite foreign players not participating in the final, then the final will be held in Lahore," said Sethi in his statement.
Sethi added that the security agencies have committed to providing full security for the final.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Punjab is ready to host the final of PSL with full security and added that Lahore is safe for the players even after Monday’s bombing.
Earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), before the start of the league, held a meeting with foreign players to assure them regarding security.
The final for the PSL is scheduled to be held on March 5 in Lahore and PCB have yet to announce any new dates and will decide after contacting the concern departments about security.
PCB provisionally suspends Nasir Jamshed
The PCB on Monday provisionally suspended opener Nasir Jamshed for violation of the board's Anti-Corruption Code, said a tweet by PSL Chairman Najam Sethi.
The suspension extends to all formats of the game.
PCB Chairman Shehryar Khan earlier today reiterated that exemplary punishments will be handed out to players accused of corruption if they are found guilty by a tribunal.
"The PCB took the lead in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) scandal, unlike the time when the International Cricket Council (ICC) had caught three Pakistani players involved in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal," Shehryar said, commending the 'efficiency' of the PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit in dealing with last week's PSL spot-fixing scandal.
The PCB earlier provisionally suspended two players — Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif — under its Anti-Corruption Code as part of an ongoing investigation into an international syndicate which is believed to be attempting to corrupt the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
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On DawnNews
Feb 13, 2017 11:32pm
Good call Sethi Sahib. Please have PSL final in Lahore even if foreign players do not participate. How long are we going to live in fear?
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Feb 13, 2017 11:34pm
Ban Naser Jamshed for life.
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Feb 13, 2017 11:48pm
Yes its our league and bring it back, dont bow down to these miscriants! Long live Pakistan!
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Feb 14, 2017 12:05am
Nasir Jamshed has nothing to lose. He is not getting in the national team. Perhaps he decided to make a quick buck like every body else in the country.
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Feb 14, 2017 12:12am
Lohore will host the final, inshallah
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Feb 14, 2017 12:13am
Punish culprits involved in Alleged fixing to set lesson for others and ban for life time only in this case we can filter pollutant elements up to much extent to uproot this havoc greed ..
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Feb 14, 2017 12:13am
Great call! Actually the whole Pakistan super league should be held in Pakistan even without the foreign players! Our national team super stars are enough.
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Feb 14, 2017 12:15am
Yes final in Lahore. How can foreign players back off. They claimed that they love thus league and will play. Plus next edition should be in Pakistan. All the best wishes
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Feb 14, 2017 12:21am
@NASIR
Jamshed's international career is almost over. I am worried about Sharjeel. Sharjeel, otherwise, seems to be decent and well mannered.
R.S. Menon, Bangalore
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Feb 14, 2017 12:33am
What's this immature insistence of holding the final in Lahore? Why not Karachi? Dare i say Karachi is actually safer and let's not forget that Lahore was the city where the Sri Lankan team was attacked in 2009. Karachi has better security, it has Rangers who are much more able and prepared compared to the local police. My condolences with the all the affected families of today's blast but the Punjab centric management of PCB should look beyond Lahore and Punjab.
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Feb 14, 2017 12:49am
How about Karachi, largest city, much bigger following.
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Feb 14, 2017 12:59am
Its unfair on the foreign players who have given the tournament some credibility, otherwise its just a domestic set-up full of corruption...
Pakistan needs to face the facts that it isn't in a position to host international cricket stars at present. Sorry but the sooner you accept this truth the sooner something can be done about it... From Pakistani Supporter.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:02am
If ? What does it mean ?
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Feb 14, 2017 01:04am
Start NAP. And start rangers operation in punjab...
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Feb 14, 2017 01:12am
@Desi he must have learnt from you.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:13am
@Waqas or just write about it another 20 years.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:19am
Why Lahore? why not Karachi. International players have horrible memories of Lahore. Be Pakistani and decide which city is best only then players and countries will send their team.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:18am
Yeah may be in your back garden, I suppose.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:24am
@Adeel
I am from Lahore but for me it does matter final is played in Karachi or Lahore but it should be in Pakistan.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:34am
One step forward, two steps back - Story of Pakistan.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:38am
Sign of weak and incompetent executive. Instead of making a decision leaving it on fans? How will he ask the fans? does fans know about the arrangements or him?
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Feb 14, 2017 01:41am
Agree with Adeel. Zimbabwe was in Lahore. It's time we show Karachi is equally safe and we should hold PSL final in Karachi.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:48am
Bring the tournament to Pakistan and then call it PSL. Our politicians,people (with means) ,sports teams are all based in Dubai. Shame,simply deplorable.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:53am
"Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Punjab is ready to host the final of PSL with full security and added that Lahore is safe for the players even after Monday’s bombing."
Seriously? The Punjab law minister must be living on another planet otherwise how else could one a nonsensical statement like this. This blast is a grand failure of this Punjab government.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:58am
We should do it in Lahore without foreign players.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:59am
@R.S. Menon He was the only guy in Pakistan team who was suited for modern day cricket which we lack. Greed killed it all!
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Feb 14, 2017 02:12am
How exactly will the fans decide? Will there be a vote?
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Feb 14, 2017 02:20am
Cricket lovers, please watch from home rather than going to stadium. There was security warning, despite blast happened on Monday. How can securities take measure to protect thousands of people. Be stay safe..
Now a days watching in TV is better than live, there are replays and closeup shots.
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Feb 14, 2017 02:34am
@Adeel sir with all due respect. Please dont let these small issues divide us.. it is about Pakistan... once we are over such petty issues... it wouldnt matter whether its Karachi,Lahore,Peshawar or Quetta. Pakistan Zindabad
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Feb 14, 2017 02:51am
The latest blast in Lahore is no coincidence. It is to deter authorities from holding international or important events in Pakistan. Sethi and authorities should go ahead and hold the event. Best wishes.
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Feb 14, 2017 03:14am
We should not surrender under any circumstances. Finals should held in Lahore and that is it. I am sure we can live without the foreign players.
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Feb 14, 2017 03:30am
Why final in Lahore, cricketers still have bad memories of attack on Sri Lankan team. Why not in Karachi? Why PCB is focusing on Lahore specially after attack on Sri Lankan team. I think Karachi is a better and safe city these days.
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Feb 14, 2017 03:32am
Give Naser Jamshed some room.. we all make mistakes.. Sethi is doing good job given the circumstances.. lets back him up.. he is institutionalizing Cricket in Pakistan.
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Feb 14, 2017 03:52am
The most stupid idea i have come across today. Wowww final in lahore? After a bomb blast?? Without foreigners??? In a league without foreigners??? Plz tell me i am in kindergarden......plzzzzz
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Feb 14, 2017 03:58am
How will he find out if Pakistanis want or do not want PSL Final in Pakistan?
If PSL Final can be held in Pakistan why not the rest of the PSL??
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Feb 14, 2017 04:03am
Without foreign players we are boring and match fixers
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Feb 14, 2017 04:18am
What is this nonsense of going ahead with the final at Lahore without foreign players? Are the lives of Pakistani players worthless?? The state has failed miserably in providing security to its citizens.
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Feb 14, 2017 04:28am
@Adeel : yes, PSL final should be held in Karachi. it's a good option.
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Feb 14, 2017 04:42am
@Adeel I agree Karachi it should be
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Feb 14, 2017 04:44am
Cricket is a team sport...whoever gets to the final game, it is due to the team effort. If in the final game some players are there and others are not then what is the point of that final?
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Feb 14, 2017 05:03am
No cricket in Pakistan as long as terrorist are here.
It will be a disgrace, if the another attack takes place in Lahore.
Attack on Sri-Lankan team in Lahore is still fresh in the minds of people.
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Feb 14, 2017 05:16am
Is there any reason that the fans will not like to have PSL final in Lahore?
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Feb 14, 2017 05:28am
Great and courages call, show these perpetrators and their funding partners that we are not afraid. In fact now put semi finals in Karachi and final in Lahore.
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Feb 14, 2017 05:39am
PSL Final should be held in Lahore unless foreign players do not participate. Its our league
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Feb 14, 2017 05:40am
Yes final in Lahore
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Feb 14, 2017 05:51am
@Adeel Hmm. Looks like it.
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Feb 14, 2017 06:13am
Do you remember when the Punjab Cricket Board would move matches away from Karachi to Lahore because Karachi was deemed unsafe?
Why not move this match to Karachi now? How long are we to live in the shadow of a smaller, less significant, city?
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Feb 14, 2017 06:13am
Better keep the final in UAE. Earn confidence of foreign players. Get your home straighten out first. Final can come next year too. No hurry. We need to make sure that once it comes, it is all safe and steady. So, for all the critics who are going to bash me for it, I would better suggest them to go with prevailing sense. Prayers for departed. Make sense now, straighten out things here first, then call up the foreigners to please us playing on our fields in 3rd season. Regards, Lahori!
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Feb 14, 2017 06:18am
Even our own players will hesitate to play in our own country now, feeling sad :(
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Feb 14, 2017 06:29am
What kind of a tournament is it where in you can change the venue of the final, Lahore will be happy but think of those who have already booked the tickets for the final, would they now travel to lahore.
Clearly Mr Sethi has messed up somewhere else and trying to come up with a face saver
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Feb 14, 2017 07:14am
We want final to be held in Lahore!
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Feb 14, 2017 07:16am
Something fishy Sethi Saab. How come all the international players refused to play final in Lahore so quickly?
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Feb 14, 2017 07:25am
The league is of pakistan. Final should be in lahore to give reply to coward enemy
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Feb 14, 2017 07:31am
Foreign players may not come but the show must go on.
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Feb 14, 2017 07:46am
PSL final is more important than lives of the people Sethi saheb!! Final has to be played in Lahore only!!
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Feb 14, 2017 07:50am
Who cares about foreign players. Make the final happen in Lahore so whoever did this bombing should know we are not scare. Make it happen in Lahore to slap terrorists.
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Feb 14, 2017 07:57am
He will never do it as all the bookies and tax cheats are abroad.....PSL is always going to be held outside and internal condition will be blamed!!!
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Feb 14, 2017 08:08am
How to kill the momentum of a championship? Have a 2-days break in-between a championship's league round! Just 6 matches completed in the PSL, and there was already a break of 2 days (13th & 14th Feb)! After 14th match, another break for 2-days will be there.
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Feb 14, 2017 08:15am
Sethi Sahib, now PSL final shoud play in one of our largest city and very safe place Karachi. Please do consider as it is also part of Pakistan.
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Feb 14, 2017 08:15am
@R.S. Menon ! Sharjeel was the only hope for the slow Pakistani batting line-up! He is gone, and the normal service has resumed!
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Feb 14, 2017 08:25am
Gwadhar Should have Cricket venue. It will be more safe than other city.
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Feb 14, 2017 08:39am
What a stupid statement?. It is not the question of fans wish,the question is of Security to foreign players of the teams and their willingness to play here.Do not consider people as fools.
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Feb 14, 2017 08:45am
How about play the final on CPEC road? Chinese can provide security. All foreign players will come.
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Feb 14, 2017 08:47am
Yes, Yes, and Yes, we must hold the PSL final in Lahore even if only Pakistani players play the match. We should not allow the terrorists to win. We must prove to them that their inhuman and henious crimes will not deter the proud nation of Pakistan and we'll stand in their face.
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Feb 14, 2017 08:53am
@Shah True,
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Feb 14, 2017 08:55am
@Pakistani Yes true but if foreign players raising concern over playing in Lahore than the match should be either shifted to Karachi or Islamabad
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Feb 14, 2017 08:55am
the sad part is we know who stabbed us in the back !
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Feb 14, 2017 08:59am
@Kamran - Do you think our enemy will spare Karachi?
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Feb 14, 2017 09:01am
Guarantee future financial security for the family of foreign players by offering four million dollar life insurance if final is held in Lahore. If the foreign players are not ready to play final in Lahore better hold final in UAE . If you do not do this may be next year they may not participate in this tournament even in UAE
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Feb 14, 2017 09:05am
Yes. we should have PSL 2 final in Lahore. It is our tournament and should take place in Pakistan even if foreign players do not come.
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Feb 14, 2017 09:21am
Sethi sahib we are with you on organizing PSL final in Lahore, even though foreign players refuse to visit here.
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Feb 14, 2017 09:22am
@Kamran : My friend without foreign players it will like domestic t20 tournament.
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Feb 14, 2017 09:26am
@Adeel : I second you
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Feb 14, 2017 09:50am
How about eliminate terrorism first and then discuss about PSL finals?
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Feb 14, 2017 10:14am
Dear Sethi Sahib,
If every thing has to be decided by fans then you are taking salary for what?
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Feb 14, 2017 10:29am
Why in Lahore only? Why not Karachi, Peshawar or better yet Quetta!?
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Feb 14, 2017 11:05am
Any alternative apart from Lahore as Lahore was terrorised yesterday.
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Feb 14, 2017 11:12am
So now its "IF" fans want in Lahore....
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Feb 14, 2017 11:24am
Why only Lahore, attacks frequently happen there. Karachi is a good choice but there is a law and order situation still not good, Involving Rangers will show sort of escalation.Why not islamabad, there aren't much issues there.Its a foolproof city with capital recognition.
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Feb 14, 2017 11:59am
This is the end of Pakistan Cricket. How sad :( at this point I don't trust any Pakistani player in the league either they are all guilty or PCB is out to get them. With out proper investigation they are just suspending players!!!! Amazing
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Feb 14, 2017 12:08pm
@Kamran think before you talk. Without foreign players there is no attraction. PSL- overseas players = your domestic tourney genius.
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Feb 14, 2017 12:14pm
@xmaestro "Why in Lahore only? " When you persist with "all for me" policy, you may end up with " nothing for all" result.
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Feb 14, 2017 12:15pm
@Shoaib the real question is... were they ever ready ?
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Feb 14, 2017 12:17pm
I really find this funny for some jingoistic fans saying 'PSL should be held in PAK even without foreign players'. Whats a league without foreign players ?
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Feb 14, 2017 12:21pm
Forget PSL final in lahore.
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Feb 14, 2017 12:37pm
Fans wants Sethi and Shehryar sahib to retire from PCB
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Feb 14, 2017 12:37pm
As of now not even a single new young promising talent neither the bowler nor the batsmen in the PSL teams who can play for national team ...
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Feb 14, 2017 12:46pm
The question should not be whether the PSL final should be in Lahore or not ..The question should be where is the new young talent in PSL teams who can play for National team..As of now dont see any emerging promising young bowler or batsmen who can play for National team and take the Pakistan team forward.
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Feb 14, 2017 12:54pm
Sethi playing politics as usual. How will he know what the fans want without having a proper survey or poll? This man is an opportunist and biased and should not have been involved in PCB. He should have the decency to quit and leave cricket alone as he is too involved with corrupt leaders of the country. Nobody believes a word what he says. Unfortunate but true.
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Feb 14, 2017 12:56pm
@GAUR "Whats a league without foreign players ?" Whats a league in a foreign country?
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Feb 14, 2017 01:01pm
@D.K. PAMNANI "Any alternative apart from Lahore as Lahore was terrorised yesterday." That argument works only for Karachi.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:11pm
Without foreign players the final will be worthless. Why take a chance even with your own players ? Srilankans were also promised fool-proof security as provided to President but see what happened.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:16pm
PSL Final in Lahore was the primary reason for #LahoreBlast
Cancelling Finals of PSL from Pakistan would be a Success for its masterminds. We have to defeat them which can only be done by playing finals in Pakistan.
I hope some foreign players will still come to pakistan!
Lets pray for better and safer Pakistan.
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Feb 14, 2017 01:32pm
By the way this is the stat for all the Indian
Statistics :
Most wins Tests: Pakistan Pakistan (Pakistan 12 India 9)
ODIs: Pakistan Pakistan (Pakistan 72 India 51)
T20: India India (India 6 Pakistan 1)
Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India%E2%80%93Pakistan_cricket_rivalry
Now wounder why they don't want to play against Pakistan .
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Feb 14, 2017 02:36pm
The final should be held in Karachi
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Feb 14, 2017 03:07pm
I am unable to understand if foreign players will not come to Pakistan to play final so how international cricket would be resumed in Pakistan. what a statement by Sethi
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Feb 14, 2017 03:10pm
What is this stupid claim? It should read if "players want". Looks like Mr. Sethi has gone off mind and does not realize what he is talking.
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Feb 14, 2017 03:37pm
A political statement by a politician in disguise.
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Feb 14, 2017 03:51pm
Condolences to the victims of the Lahore attack.
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Feb 14, 2017 04:05pm
@Galactic Mist world cup matches that matter most India 7 win Pakistan 0 . Good player only peak when matter most . what you have to say now.
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Feb 14, 2017 04:56pm
@Galactic Mist where does India-Pak come in all this Einstein ?
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Feb 14, 2017 06:52pm
Lets be logical for a moment. If the int'l players dont want to come here its not because they hate pakistan but because of secuirty threat which is genuine. a sudden attack in lahore after deciding to hold final in this city is for sure suspicious but whatever the case maybe we need to get our house in order first. Pakistan needs atleast 1 full fledge terror free year. One needs to understand that pakistan's image is very badly affected esp after sri lankan attacks and osama bin laden episode hence we need to work extra hard. Time is not going good for us and thus instead of comparing ourselves with others we need to make things better (we sure are better off in terms of security then we were 3 years back but still a lot needs to be done) hence for the betterment and success of PSL its better to hold the finals in dubai while we make further efforts to improve law and order situation here and maybe govt can focus on having matches/finals in some other city next year like Islamabad or some smaller city where it is easier to provide security. PS maybe its better to not go for lahore as a venue as bad memories of sri lankan team is still fresh in world's eyes.
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Feb 14, 2017 06:51pm
@Khan USA - agree with you, this is such an ambiguous statement from Sethi. This person tells 2 different things and talks about 'ifs' always. Also, I am not sure PCBs reluctance to go to Karachi, everyone is corrupt and culprit here.
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Feb 15, 2017 09:11am
The final should be in Pakistan to show that the terrorists have not won. This is more important for Pakistan than whether foreigners play or not.
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Feb 16, 2017 08:03pm
Pity our nation, we cannot even hold a cricket match.
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Feb 16, 2017 08:10pm
No, that will not be fair to foreign players, think about it from future perspective guys, PSL is only getting globally famous BECAUSE of foreign players, and they are not going to like the deceision where they will be excluded from the final. They might not want to join PSL next time. You are all cricket fans, how would you feel getting excluded from the final game in a taurnament you joined. Sethi saab, this will be a mistake, you shouldn't be even asking the public this question "topi hamare sar pe rakh di", own up to ur resposibilities.
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