Only spectators who have been fully vaccinated will be allowed to attend the games in Rawalpindi and Lahore
Pakistan has decided to allow spectators up to 25% capacity for the home series against New Zealand in Rawalpindi and Lahore next month. Only spectators who have been fully vaccinated, however, will be permitted to attend.
The three ODIs, all taking place in Rawalpindi, will be open to 4,500 spectators each. The five T20Is, all at the Gaddafi Stadiumi in Lahore, will accommodate 5,500 spectators each.
“This will be an opportunity for the spectators to not only enjoy some quality cricket in the season-opening series but also support and back players from either side as the ODIs count towards the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 qualification, while the T20Is will lead into the ICC T20 World Cup.”
New Zealand will arrive in Islamabad on September 11 as Pakistan strive to host more international teams at home. After nearly a decade of almost complete isolation, a trickle of foreign tours has seen international cricket gradually return to the country.
Earlier this year, plans to allow crowds at the PSL in March had to be scrapped after a surge in Covid-19 cases in Pakistan and bio-bubble breaches led to the postponement of the league. Coronavirus cases in Pakistan remain relatively high, with the country undergoing a fourth wave of infections. However, vaccination rates have sped up, with every adult eligible to receive one.
Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent