Will Karachi’s National Stadium be ready for PSL3 final?

While Lahore has experienced what it feels like to watch international cricket at home, the residents of Karachi remain deprived of this joy.

International cricket started returning to Pakistan last year with teams Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka touring the country. The final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was also held in Lahore and was a spectacle to behold.

The wait for Karachi maybe over in 2018 as the Pakistan Cricket Board has the intentions to hold the final of the third instalment of PSL at the National Stadium. However, will the National Stadium be able to hold the final in March is a big question.

Having not seen international cricket since the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009 - the National Stadium was neglected and no longer resembles an international stadium. The PCB has an uphill task ahead with repair work still in its initial stages.

The roofs of all enclosures were in ruins, and although they have been torn down it will be next to impossible to replace them with new ones before March. In 14 enclosures the construction of bathrooms has just begun.

The Chairman Box and VIP enclosure are also in dire need of repairs, while a decision has been taken to not open the VIP gallery. It has only been a week since work to install elevators in the hospitality gallery began.

Karachi needs and deserves the return of international cricket. Fans have great anticipation for the PSL3 final to be held in the city of lights and it would be a shame if the PCB disappoints them.