
Pakistan has reportedly allowed a 100 per cent capacity crowd at the National Stadium in Karachi for the upcoming home series against West Indies, which is scheduled to start from December 13. Ever since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic emerged, it forced the authorities around the world to stage sports events behind closed doors and so happened with cricket. However, slowly and gradually authorities are allowing spectators to watch the events live.
When we talk about Pakistan, this is the first time since the pandemic that spectators will be allowed to this extent. Previously, National Command and Control Center (NCOC) allowed the attendance up to 25 per cent capacity for the home series against New Zealand. The series, however, was cancelled as the NZ cricket board abandoned it on the day it was supposed to start due to security threats.
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West Indies also announced to tour Pakistan for three Twenty20 Internationals and as many ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League matches from December 13 to December 22. This is going to be a crucial series for Pakistan as the West Indies announced their visit to Pakistan after New Zealand and England called off scheduled tours to the Asian country in September due to security concerns, which dented their hopes of staging international cricket tournaments.
Pakistan's cricket was in recovery mode as it hosted South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe since the 2009 attacks. However, the New Zealand cricket board's decision to abandon the tour caused embarrassment to the cricket-mad nation.