Absence of foreign players in the final cost Quetta Gladiators a loss - Sir VIV Richards

The final of the second edition of the Pakistan Super League is not done and dusted with as yet. While the country was successful in hosting the finals amidst security concerns, several foreign players refused to participate in the final, citing lack of security as issues.

Finalists Quetta Gladiators bore the most brunt of it as five of its overseas players backed out from playing in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The list includes Kevin Pietersen, Rilee Roussow, Luke Wright, Tymal Mills and Nathan McCullum.

“The new players had not practised with us,” the former West Indies cricketer said speaking to Geo News while playing golf at a private facility. In an answer on the PSL spot-fixing scandal, Richards said that during his time cricket was considered a “gentleman’s game”. “Match fixing is wrong. The new money in the game of cricket has changed its dynamics,” he said.

When asked about his cricketing years, the legend admitted admiration for former Pakistani players Javed Miandad and Imran Khan. In a candid conversation, he also said that he loved mutton and tries it when he visits any country. “Not getting mutton is always disappointing,” he smiled.

Though the Gladiators lost the final, the team came up with a good replacement for all the absent players. Their XI featured a strong combination from Bangladesh’s Anamul Haque, South Africa’s MorneVan,  Zimbabwe’s Elton Chigumbura and Sean Ervine, and West Indies’ Rayad Emrit.

Peshawar Zalmi won the final by 58 runs, but it was cricket that triumphed over all odds in Pakistan. No casualties were reported during the match in which a new range of scanning and CCTV equipments were used, and over 10,000 security personnel including Pakistan’s paramilitary force were deployed. The cricket-loving nation can now finally think of resuming international cricket in its backyard one more time.