Karachi: Pakistan won the draw and have chosen to play the first against its New Zealand competitor at the Champions Trophy of the International Cricket Council (ICC), while the Mega Tournament started at the Cricket Stadium of the Bank Bank national in Karachi.
President Asif Ali Zardari and First Lady Asefa Bhutto Zardari also attend the opening match as chief guest.
The event also presented an air display of the Air Force Pakistani Sherdils team.
The eight team tournament will be played in three sites in Pakistan – Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi – as well as in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (Water) from February 19 to March 9.
Cricket fever is raised among fans while Pakistan organizes an ICC event after an interruption of 29 years.
Pakistan organized a CPI event for the last time in 1996 – ICC 1996 Cricket World Cup, which ended with the final at the Gaddafi stadium, where Sri Lanka beat Australia with seven counters.
The president of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohin Naqvi, praised the start of the tournament as a victory for a peaceful and secure Pakistan. He said the whole nation, including itself, was proud to host the event.
He also noticed that the Champions Trophy is not only a tournament but also a celebration of culture and tradition.
Naqvi gave sincere welcome to all the participating teams, recognizing the passion of the Pakistani people for cricket. He stressed that the nation once again proved its deep love for sport.
The Pakistan team with 15 players:
Mohammad Rizwan (captain and ticket office), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha (Vice-Capitaine), Saud Shakeel, Shah Afridi, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.
Security situation
More than 6,700 staff members of the Special Security Unit (SSU) and other law enforcement organizations have been deployed to ensure the safety of the ICC champions trophy in Karachi.
According to security officials, the SSU allocated 1,045 commandos, including officers, to manage security operations. In addition, 1,745 safety division staff, 1,390 from the traffic police and 328 special branches officers were parked on key locations.
The security personnel were deployed at the Karachi National Bank Cricket stadium, at the airport, the designated routes, parking areas, hotels and other critical points. Elite shooters have also been positioned in sensitive locations for more security.
A specialized unit of highly qualified commandos remains on high alert and will perform routine patrols around the stadium.
The security of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) stressed the importance of maintaining a peaceful and safe atmosphere. He confirmed that the security agreements had been coordinated with all the agencies concerned to ensure a smooth event.
In addition, the authorities have published strict entry directives for spectators participating in the champions trophy matches at the Karachi National Bank Cricket stadium. Fans must transport their original national identity card with a physical copy of their match ticket for entry.
This is a story in development and is updated with more details.
