- Title: Cricket in Karachi to be played without spectators amid coronavirus fears
- Date: 12th March 2020
- Summary: KARACHI, PAKISTAN (MARCH 12, 2020) (REUTERS) CRICKET FANS WASHING HANDS OUTSIDE STADIUM VARIOUS OF FANS BEING HAVING THEIR TEMPERATURES CHECKED AS PART OF SCREENING FOR CORONAVIRUS INFECTION SPECTATORS WALKING TOWARDS SECURITY GATES OF STADIUM POLICE OFFICERS FRISKING SPECTATORS AS THEY ENTER STADIUM POLICE OFFICER WEARING MASK MASKED POLICE OFFICER CONTROLLING TRAFFIC (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) CRICKET FAN, FARRUKH HUSSAIN CHAUHAN, SAYING: "Like our passion for cricket, the virus is also all around us, but if we follow the safety procedures properly, then God willing, nothing will happen." FANS CHEERING AS THEY WALK INTO STADIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) COLLEGE STUDENT WEARING MASK, MARIA FARRUKH, SAYING: "Cricket is a very important sport for our country. And from that point of view, we have come here because we have a great passion for cricket. As far as the virus is concerned, we have taken the necessary precautions. We are wearing masks, we have washed our hands properly, we have taken all precautions. The threat is there, but we cannot sacrifice our passion for that, can we?" BOYS WEARING MASKS WAITING IN QUEUE VARIOUS OF FANS QUEUED UP (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) UNIVERSITY STUDENT, MOHAMMAD HUZAIFA, SAYING: "We have full faith in Allah; and thanks to Allah, there will be no coronavirus for us. We have been screened. So far nothing has happened to us. And God willing, we are hopeful that nothing will happen to us in the future. All these ordeals are from Allah, and He will take care of them." / BY STANDERS SAYING "INSHA ALLAH" (GOD WILLING) BOY BLOWING TRUMPET (SOUNDBITE) KARACHI HOUSEWIFE, ZARA MUNEER, SAYING: "The way this coronavirus is spreading, the whole world is taking safety precautions. And everyone should do so. We can't sit around saying: 'Virus, come attack us.' We have to observe safeguards, which we have done. Allah will take care of the rest."
- Embargoed: 26th March 2020 18:29
- Keywords: Cricket Pakistan Super League coronavirus covid-19
- Location: KARACHI, PAKISTAN
- City: KARACHI, PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: Cricket,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001C4R0K07
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Pakistan's Sindh province imposed a ban on spectators in cricket stadiums late on Thursday (March 12) amid fears of the coronavirus outbreak.
The decision, taken during a meeting of the provincial task force on coronavirus, will begin on Friday (March 13) with fans not allowed to attend Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches.
"#SindhGovt has decided that the remaining matches of PSL in Karachi will take place without any crowd. This decision has been made after consultation with all stakeholders including the Pakistan Cricket Board," Murtaza Wahab, Adviser to Chief Minister of Sindh, said in a Twitter message.
On Thursday fans were allowed to watch matches but everyone was thoroughly screened, sprayed with hand sanitizers and given masks before they entered the stadium.
The PSL - a 20-over franchise tournament - has brought some of the sport's biggest names back into the cricket-crazy country after a hiatus of 10 years.
Cricket fans have been filling the stadiums for all the matches played so far in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
Fans, not knowing about the upcoming ban, went to watch the match in Karachi in their hordes on Thursday, with some saying they were willing to take the risk of infection for the sake of watching a cricket match with international players after so many years.
Karachi will host four more matches in the PSL this season.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases has reached 19 across Pakistan, with 14 in Sindh province.
(Production: Waseem Sattar, Salahuddin, Sheree Sardar) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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