WEB DESK: The final match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) second edition will be played in Lahore, sources confirmed on Monday, Aaj News reported.

According to the reports, a meeting was held in Dubai on Monday between the Pakistan Super League (PSL) management and the owners of the team franchises. In the meeting, it was decided that the final for the tournament will be held in Lahore.

It is note worthy that at least 13 people including two senior police officers embraced martyrdom in Lahore blast on Feb 13 due to which, there had been speculation that the PSL final may not be held in Pakistan after all.

Pakistani Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa extended full support to the PSL organizers.

PSL to offer franchises fresh player draft on Feb. 22

The Pakistan Super League will give franchises the option to draft new players in case contracted international stars opt out of the March 5 final at Lahore due to security reasons.

“On Feb. 22 we will do a new draft,” PSL chairman Najam Sethi said on a Pakistan TV channel. “We will put a formula in front of all the franchises and foreign players to let us know who will play the final in Lahore and who will not come.”

International stars including West Indies batsman Chris Gayle, Shane Watson of Australia and England’s Twenty20 captain Eoin Morgan are among 30 foreign players contracted to five teams in the PSL Twenty20 tournament, which is being staged mostly in the United Arab Emirates.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has promised to provide top-level security to the PSL finalists at Gaddafi Stadium. But a bomber targeting police escorting a rally by pharmacists on Monday killed 13 people in Lahore, casting fresh doubt over whether foreign cricketers will risk a return to playing in Pakistan.

Sethi said he had been in contact with several foreign players who indicated they’d be willing to play the final in Lahore.

“We are in touch with other foreign players so that we could replace those (contracted international) players who are not willing to play in Lahore.”

A report last month by the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) warned foreign players from traveling to Pakistan for matches.