Islamabad:
In an effort to improve security arrangements for international players visiting the country, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has bought bulletproof buses. Pakistan has not hosted Test nations since the militant attacks on the touring Sri Lankan team bus near the Gaddafi Stadium in March 2009.
“We have bought these four Coaster buses as part of our efforts to revive international cricket in the country,” a PCB spokesman was quoted as saying by ‘ESPNcricinfo’.
“There will be high expectations from teams willing to visit Pakistan and we want to ensure that we provide them with the best possible arrangements. Having these bulletproof vehicles would play a major part in convincing teams (about security arrangements).”
The idea was mooted and proposed during the chairmanship of Zaka Ashraf in 2012 and sanctioned last year.
Barring Zimbabwe’s limited-overs tour in May 2015, Pakistan has not hosted an international game since the attacks. In that incident, gunmen shot at the team bus near Gaddafi Stadium, injuring five cricketers and killing six security personnel and two civilians.
The PCB, which relies heavily on the government for security arrangements for visiting teams, has since been hosting its ‘home’ series mostly in the UAE.
The PCB spokesman said, “We are actually planning to host the PSL final in Lahore, but this requires us to convince overseas players to come.
“We have to have discussions with the players about their safety and security and I think this new addition in our security facilities will definitely give us an edge. Our ultimate goal is to revive international cricket, and we are doing our best to make sure we can.”
