Kolkata: The UK-based production house, Sunset and Vine, that handles the broadcasting of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has withdrawn its services for the league’s final which will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on March 5. Sunset and Vine decided not to carry out the broadcast production following its reluctance to travel to Lahore. For sure, it is a reaction to the terrorist attacks Lahore has faced of late.
Sunset and Vine, which had also handled the broadcast for the PSL in its inaugural edition last year, had informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) through an email last week about its reluctance to travel to Lahore. Innovative Production Group was part of the PCB’s contingency plan. The PSL is also seeking to replace its overseas commentators, Danny Morrison, Alan Wilkins and Mel Jones who don’t want to travel to Lahore, while Ian Bishop, whose contract was until the play-offs, will leave to cover West Indies’ home ODI series against England.
The companies that were handled by the HawkEye technology and Spider-cam have also pulled out from the final, which will be televised without the supporting components. A drone camera is being touted to replace the spider-cam. The PSL management has also instructed all the teams that have qualified to work on a back-up plan in a scenario where their foreign players decide not to travel to Pakistan for the final encounter. PSL Chairman Najam Sethi has assured the presence of foreign players in the final, noting that there is a backup list of players for a worst-case scenario.
Sethi said, “First let the two finalists be confirmed, which will be by March 3.” “I will be going back to Dubai now and once the finalists are confirmed I will again talk to the franchise owners and foreign players. We have also prepared a back-up list of foreign players in case the overseas signings of the finalist teams refuse to come to Lahore,” Sethi said. The back-up list has been compiled by asking the franchises to nominate a pool of foreign players from a list of over 60 said to be willing to travel to Pakistan, in the event that some of their own foreign players don’t go. The current rule states that teams can field a maximum of four foreign players in their starting XI but may also start with XI local players if necessary.
Meanwhile former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has criticised the decision of the PCB to host the PSL final in Lahore and he considers it to be a madness on the PCB’s part to go ahead with its plan. It remains to be seen what the PCB decides on finally!
(With inputs from Dawn and ESPNCricInfo)