The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said they are determined to provide foolproof security to the Zimbabwe side but that does not mean that fans won't be allowed inside Gaddafi stadium for the upcoming limited over series.
The PCB has promised state-level security for the visiting Zimbabwean team which would be the first Test side to tour the country since militants attacked the Sri Lankan squad in Lahore in March, 2009.
With the visiting players and officials to be housed at the National cricket academy adjacent to the Gaddafi stadium there are fears that PCB and security forces could impose restrictions and not encourage spectators into the stadium.
"Yes our security plan includes cordoning off the entire area in which the NCA and Gaddafi stadium are located and declaring it a red zone but it does not mean we will not encourage people to come for the match," a senior PCB official told PTI.
The official made it clear while security measures would be tight but tickets would be put on sale for the three ODIs and two T20 matches against Zimbabwe.
"We will sell tickets and we want the stadium to be full as we are hosting a Test side after six years and we want to show the world a sporting event can be held in Pakistan safely and securely," he added.
The PCB also hosted the Kenyan team for limited over matches in Lahore earlier this year but the matches didn't attract many people and the security cordon also discouraged them.
The PCB official said that the board was spending around USD 500,000 on covering the expenses of the Zimbabwean team but it had already sold media rights of the series and were hoping the ground rights sale would fetch them around USD 500,000.
"We know that Zimbabwe is not a high profile team but the idea behind inviting them is to just show the cricket world that our new security plans are very good and teams can come here without fear or tensions," he stated.
