Ravi Bopara expresses desire to play in Lahore

English all-rounder and Karachi Kings player Ravi Bopara has joined the select list of overseas players willing to take part in the finals of the ongoing PSL. The second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is nearing the much-awaited finals. The build up to the finals is huge since the match will mark the return of competitive cricket in the cricket-abandoned nation. No major team has toured Pakistan ever since the 2009 terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus.

If the finals of the PSL run smoothly, then it is likely to open the doors of international cricket making a comeback to Pakistan. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has invited a long list of security officials to witness the PSL finals scheduled to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. However, despite all the assurances from the board and the PSL working committee, several overseas players have opted out of the PSL finals. Quetta Gladiators were the first team to qualify for the finals.

All their major overseas stars including big names like Kevin Pietersen, Rilee Rossouw, and Tymal Mills have backed out of the finals to be played on March 5. Amidst such a backdrop, a tweet from Ravi Bopara saying that he would like to travel to Lahore for the PSL finals if his team qualifies comes as a big news for the fans. Karachi Kings are playing the Peshawar Zalmi in the third qualifying finals of the tournament. The winner of the match will set their final date with Quetta Gladiators.

While the Peshawar Zalmi lost the first qualifying final to the Gladiators and have got their second chance, the Karachi Kings convincingly beat the Islamabad United to enter this third qualifying final.

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Ravi Bopara tweeted, “If we win tonight I will travel to Lahore for the final. @KarachiKingsARY @thePSLt20 #DhanDhanaDhanHogaRe”

He soon received a message from his English team-mate, Owais Shah, though. The hard-hitting middle order batsman who is a T20 veteran himself, gave a subtle hint to Bopara to pull out from such a commitment. He wrote, “@ravibopara @KarachiKingsARY @thePSLt20 well u best pull your finger out my son!!”