LAHORE, Pakistan, CMC – Media reports here say West Indies players Darren Sammy and Marlon Samuels have confirmed their participation for the Pakistan Super League final, once their side Peshawar Zalmi qualifies for the championship game.
Sammy, who captains Zalmi, and Samuels who also represents the franchise, have reportedly told management of their availability, despite the exodus of foreign players due to security concerns surrounding the game set to be staged here Sunday.
Zalmi take on Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard’s Karachi Kings in Friday’s second qualifier, for the chance to face Quetta Gladiators the final set to be held in the violence-plagued Pakistani city.
Neither Gayle nor Pollard is expected to play if Kings advance, with Sri Lankan teammate Mahela Jayawardene also set to be unavailable.
Already the English trio of Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright and Tymal Mills have pulled out of the Gladiators side citing safety concerns, along with South African Rilee Roussouw and New Zealander Nathan McCullum.
Barbados-born England all-rounder Chris Jordan, who represents Zalmi, is also reportedly not travelling to Lahore if his side qualifies for the final.
In a further blow to organisers, England-based broadcasters Sunset and Vine have opted not to cover the final.
This leaves Sammy, the two-time Twenty20 World Cup-winning captain and his West Indies teammate, Samuels, as possibly the only two foreign players who could appear in the final.
Organisers are determined to host the championship game in Lahore in a bid to have Pakistan returned to the international calendar following eight years of isolation.
However, a bomb explosion at a public rally two weeks ago further heightened tensions.
No major international side has toured Pakistan since 2009 when a terrorist attack against the Sri Lanka team bus resulted in the death of several members of the security forces and injury to several players.
Only recently, the West Indies Cricket Board turned down an invitation from the Pakistan Cricket Board, to play a Twenty20 series here later his month.
