LAHORE: The city of gardens is all set to host Pakistani and foreign players for the Pakistan Super League eliminator scheduled today at the Gaddafi Stadium.

PSL matches have concluded in Dubai and Sharjah and the tournament will now move to Lahore. Gaddafi Stadium will host elimination matches on March 20 and 21. 

In the first elimination match, Peshawar Zalmi will face Quetta Gladiators with the winner going on to play Karachi Kings in the second elimination match for a place in the final. 

The final is set to take place in Karachi on March 25?more than nine years since the city last hosted international cricketers.  

In pictures: Gaddafi Stadium ready to host PSL

Lahore will host PSL matches on March 20 and 21

Karachi hosted its last international Test match in February 2009 when Pakistan played against Sri Lanka. Days later, terrorists attacked a bus carrying the visiting Sri Lankans near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, suspending international cricket in the country for years to come. 

Last year, Pakistan hosted the PSL final in Lahore. The three PSL matches being held in Lahore and Karachi this year are being hailed as an indicator of improving security conditions and the gradual return of international cricket to the country. 

Foreign players to arrive in Lahore

Except for Dwayne Smith and Dwayne Bravo, all foreign players of Peshawar Zalmi including skipper Darren Sammy, Andre Fletcher, Riki Wessels, Liam Dawson, Chris Jordan will arrive early morning.

Sri Lanka's Thisara Perera and Chris Green of Australia,Yorkshire's Tom Kohler-Cadmore, West Indian batsman Johnson Charles, South African star Rilee Rossouw will feature for Quetta Gladiators.

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Except for Eoin Morgan, all foreign players of Karachi Kings will arrive in Lahore as part of the squad for the second qualifier, scheduled to take place at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. They include Joe Denly, Tymal Mills, Colin Ingram, Lendl Simmons, David Weisse, and Ravi Bopara.

The local metropolis administration has put welcome banners on the route from Airport to hotel and hotel to the stadium, while the security plans during the match have been finalised.

Section 144 imposed from Stadium to Mall Road

Punjab Interior Secretary and Lahore Commissioner monitored the preparations in the stadium, the government has imposed Section 144 from Gaddafi Stadium to Mall Road.

Commissioner Lahore Abdullah Khan Sumbal while speaking to media, said that the government will provide all facilities to the cricket fans including refreshments on economic rates.

As many as four parking areas have been designated for the fans coming to watch both the matches, the spectators will be taken to the stadium from shuttle vans. The educational institutes within three km radius of the stadium will be closed by 11 am, while a few stations of the metro bus will not be running.

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A monitoring cell is established in the Gaddafi Stadium to review the security of the stadium and nearby areas, the security officials have visited the dressing rooms and entry points of the spectators.

Foreign commentators have reached Lahore while the foreign players are expected to reach at the Allama Iqbal International Aiport early morning.

Danny Morrison, Alan Wilkins, Micheal Slater, Damien Fleming, Daren Ganga have arrived along with Ramiz Raja and Bazid Khan.