April promises to be a fun month as Pakistan will play host to New Zealand in a five-match Twenty20 International series.
The hosts would like to improve their performances, especially with the T20 World Cup coming up in June. A few months ago, they were soundly thrashed 4-1 on the road by the Kiwis.
On the non-cricketing front, April is a month filled with celebrations. The two biggest ones are Eid and Baisakhi, which are observed with great fervor throughout Pakistan, particularly in the Punjab region. Similarly, on Tuesday, April 9, Lahore Divisional Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa presided over a meeting at his office that was mainly concerned with reviewing the arrangements for the upcoming festivals, which include Pakistan-New Zealand cricket matches in Lahore.
District government representatives and Pakistan Cricket Board personnel attended the meeting, and Sheikhupura Athar Ismail, the regional public officer, was a special guest. Commissioner Randhawa announced that, starting on April 13, Sikh pilgrims would go to Pakistan via the Wagah Border crossing in observance of the Baisakhi celebration. He said that the plans for the Sikh pilgrims are presently being finalized by the Lahore Police in collaboration with the Department of Auqaf and the district administrations of Nankana and Lahore.
For Eid al-Fitr, Randhawa emphasized the significance of increased hygiene and security protocols. Security and task assignments for Eid gatherings and ‘Chaand Raat’ have already been arranged and distributed. The PCB officials gave the commissioner a thorough briefing on the matches that will take place between the two sides before the fourth and fifth Twenty20 Internationals, which are scheduled to take place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. He emphasized that, as far as security is concerned, there is no way around the need to identify every blind spot.
The commissioner further disclosed that 355 employees and officials will be assigned by the Lahore Waste Management Company to handle cleaning during the games. To provide impenetrable protection, an additional 336 CCTV cameras and 120 walk-through gates will be added. Commissioner Randhawa also ordered a thorough examination of the stadium’s food and beverage offerings, including their costs and quality. In order to guarantee that the matches proceed smoothly in accordance with the timetable and procedures established by the PCB, he also discussed the creation of separate control rooms in addition to the PCB control room.
India
