Hyderabad : Ensuring the security of an international cricket team visiting India is a challenging endeavor, and executing it seamlessly is a source of pride for security personnel across the nation. The responsibility becomes even more significant when it involves safeguarding the visiting Pakistani cricket team, currently in India for the upcoming World Cup.
The Pakistani cricket team, which arrived in Hyderabad on Thursday, is receiving the highest level of security from the Hyderabad police, despite officers having to juggle their responsibilities with the ongoing festivities associated with the Ganesh idol immersion, coinciding with the World Cup warm-up matches.
Security personnel in Hyderabad are putting in extra hours to ensure a trouble-free stay for the Pakistan cricket team, marking their return to India after a seven-year hiatus. However, due to these commitments, Pakistan’s opening warm-up match on Friday will be played behind closed doors as the police cannot guarantee sufficient security for spectators.
The squad made its way to the stadium on Thursday, with a convoy of six police vehicles accompanying them. The team buses of Pakistan and New Zealand left the stadium in tandem.
Stringent security measures are also being implemented at the team hotel to leave no room for chance.
While the warm-up match on Friday will require approximately 200 police personnel at the stadium, this number is expected to increase to 800 when spectators return for the subsequent warm-up match on October 3.
“Adequate security measures have been put in place, and the team is fully satisfied with the security arrangements, both at the stadium and in the hotel,” stated a source from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
In an unexpected twist due to last-minute scheduling changes by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Hyderabad will now host consecutive games on October 9 and 10, adding additional strain to the already stretched police resources.
The Babar Azam-led Pakistan team received a warm welcome at the Hyderabad airport on Wednesday before being safely escorted to their city-center hotel amid tight security measures. The team is slated to stay in Hyderabad for nearly two weeks.
