Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United to practice at National Stadium
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KARACHI:Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United, two former champions of the Pakistan Super League, will enter the final showdown of the third edition of the tournament at National Stadium on March 25.
The two finalist teams will hold practice session today at the stadium.
All six overseas players of the United’s squad have arrived in Karachi for the grand finale.
South African cricketer JP Duminy is to lead his side in the final after Misbah ul Haq was ruled out of action for four weeks due to a wrist injury.
In addition to Duminy, Steven Finn, Chadwick Walton, Samuel Badree, Samit Patel and in-form opener Luke Ronchi will be available for selection in the final.
Meanwhile, Peshawar Zalmi led by Darren Sammy flew to Karachi on Thursday night from Lahore, where they defeated Quetta Gladiators and Karachi Kings in the first and second eliminator.
Thousands of security personnel will be deployed when Karachi hosts the PSL final Sunday — its biggest cricket match in nine years.
Although some overseas players opted out, authorities have promised head-of-state level security at the National Cricket Stadium when Peshawar Zalmi take on Islamabad United.
The Twenty20 match has great significance for Pakistan as it gradually welcomes back international cricket, which ground to a halt after a deadly attack on Sri Lanka’s Test team in Lahore in 2009 which killed eight people and injured seven visiting players.
As well as the final in Karachi, both eliminators were held in Lahore this week — a step forward from last year, when only the final was held on Pakistani soil.
Karachi will also host three Twenty20 internationals between Pakistan and the West Indies in early April, the first home series involving a Test-level team since 2009.
Next year, the Pakistan Cricket Board has said it hopes to hold half of the PSL on home turf. Currently, most of the games are played in UAE. APP/AFP
