The Pakistan Cricket Board, while hosting Zimbabwe and South Africa, made it clear to the world that Pakistan could host matches despite COVID-Lockdown.
Pakistan Cricket Board today announced the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has allowed 20 per cent crowds to attend the HBL Pakistan Super League 2021, which will be played in Karachi and Lahore from 20 February to 22 March.
The decision means around 7,500 ticketed spectators will be allowed access inside the National Stadium per match day, while around 5,500 will be able to attend each match day at the Gaddafi Stadium.
During the course of the event, the NCOC and the PCB will continue to work together and monitor the situation before a decision to increase crowd numbers for the three playoffs and the final is made.
The NCOC made the decision following a detailed and comprehensive briefing by the PCB officials, in which they assured that the event organizers and the PCB will strictly follow government Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures, including social distancing.
PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said that I am thankful to the NCOC for trusting the PCB and allowing limited fans to watch live action of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2021. This is an endorsement that the PCB is an institution, which is capable of planning and then successfully implementing Covid-19 SOPs during its marquee event being staged in Pakistan for the second successive year.
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Wasim Qadri, Islamabad based Senior Sports Journalist and Television Show host, can follow on twitter at @jaranwaliya