LAHORE: Good news for tender cricket fans as the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Monday allowed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to let children under 12 years of age in the Gaddafi Stadium where the second leg of the seventh HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) start on Thursday.

Furthermore, the NCOC allowed the 50 percent crowd at the Gaddafi Stadium from Feb 10 to 15 and 100 per cent from Feb 16 till the final scheduled to be held on Feb 27 at the same venue.

The NCOC had allowed only 25 percent crowd at the National Stadium, Karachi where the first leg was held from Jan 27 to Feb 7, due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Meanwhile, PCB Director Salman Naseer welcomed the NCOC decisions and hoped that 100 percent crowd would be allowed also for Pakistan’s landmark home series against Australia, which is being held after a long period of 24 years.

The Australians are arriving in Islamabad on Feb 27 to play three Tests, as many One-day Inter­nationals and one-off T20 International against Babar Azam and his men.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2022