The Gaddafi Stadium is again in the news, and this time all for good reasons, as the Sri Lanka Cricket has announced that its national team will visit Lahore, after eight years, to play one-off T20 match on Oct 29.

The match is the part of a three T20 matches series. The first two will be held in the UAE. This is a yet another step towards the resumption of international cricket in Pakistan.

An attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009 had impacted the international cricket in Lahore. The return of the Sri Lankan team to Lahore is the win of the game.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also shown the same gesture to Sri Lanka when it toured them to play World Cup matches in 1996 at such times when the West Indies and Australia had refused to play their matches in Sri Lanka on security grounds.

Security agencies, the PCB, the Sports Board of Punjab (SBP) and other stakeholders attended a meeting to discuss arrangements. The Nishtar Sports Complex will be a no-go area for the general public from Oct 27 to Oct 29.

As the security of the visiting team and the fans is the prime objective of the government, extreme security measures, however, make the life of the residents around the stadium painful. A good number of residents suffer due to the suspension of gas supplies to the area.

This time, the PCB has revised ticket prices. For the PSL final and for the three T20 matches against the World XI, the ticket prices were from Rs12,000 to Rs4,000. This time, the maximum rate is Rs5,000 and the minimum Rs500.

The Punjab government has decided to demolish the newly-built cricket grounds at the Greater Iqbal Parks, where 15 cricket clubs play net practice matches.

Former Test umpire and mentor of Muslim Gymkhana, Mian Aslam, said that first the Punjab government had demolished the grounds to built the Greater Iqbal Parks. After a three-year lapse, five acres were allocated to rebuild the cricket grounds and for that the SBP and the Lahore Region Cricket Association (LRCA) provided funds. Again, Mian Aslam said, a new plan had been finalised under which a swimming pool was being built on the same place. He said the contractor had warned the clubs that the grounds would also be demolished for the swimming pool and another venue would be allocated for cricket clubs. Mian Aslam said Iqbal Parks’ cricket clubs had produced cricket stars Inzamamul Haq, AH Kardar, Aamir Sohail and Saleem Malik. He said in fact from Ravi Bridge to Allama Iqbal Town there was no cricket ground available, as the cricket grounds of the Punjab University near Chauburji, the Government College University, MAO College and Chauburji Quarters, all had vanished due to mega projects.

SBP Director General Amir Jan, who holds the additional charge of the secretary of the Sports Department, is unaware of the development. He said he would look into the matter.

Elections for the LRCA president will be held on Oct 26. Lahore is one of the biggest cricket regions, affiliated with the PCB after Karachi. The contest will be between Naushad Ali and Shahraiz Rokhari. Nine representatives, three each from three zones affiliated with the LRCA - West, East and North - will cast their votes. As Naushad is contesting from West Zone and Shahraiz from East Zone, the North Zone will be decisive in the elections.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2017