PCB purchases bulletproof buses to strengthen security

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) latest step towards restoring international cricket will delight the fan in the country. The PCB has bought four bulletproof buses for visiting teams as well as the national team to enhance the security. This can hugely help their bid to bring international cricket back in the country.

Security of the teams has been the biggest concern for the PCB in past. Pakistan has not hosted an international game since the attacks on a touring Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March 2009 where the team bus was showered with bullets from militants near Gaddafi Stadium, injuring five cricketers and killing six security personnel and two civilians. The Pakistan team has since played their home games at neutral venues in UAE.

“We have bought these four Coaster buses as part of our efforts to revive international cricket in the country,” a PCB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. “There will be high expectations from teams willing to visit Pakistan and we want to ensure that we provide them with the best possible arrangements. Having these bulletproof vehicles would play a major part in convincing teams [about security arrangements].”

The idea was first proposed during the chairmanship of Zaka Ashraf in 2012 and was sanctioned last year, before finally coming to fruition. The bulletproof buses will be an additional safety measure for teams travelling within the city.

Also, read – Watch: Shikhar Dhawan becomes a reporter on Team India’s Nevis tour

“We are actually planning to host the PSL final in Lahore, but this requires us to convince overseas players to come. We have to have discussions with the players about their safety and security and I think this new addition in our security facilities will definitely give us an edge. Our ultimate goal is to revive international cricket, and we are doing our best to make sure we can.”

The PCB has suffered financially from having to arrange matches in the UAE and from missing out on bilateral series against India. This prompted PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan to suggests that the Pakistan board should receive a “higher percentage of the income” from matches against India at ICC events.