Four ICC officials arrived at Islamabad International Airport on Friday morning under special security arrangements, two days before a three-team one-day international (ODI) series begins at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) — cricket's world governing body — sent the group ahead of matches involving Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England. Sources named them as match referee Jeff Crowe of New Zealand, Elite Panel umpire Shahid of Bangladesh, emerging panel umpire Wayne Knight of New Zealand, and umpire coach Karl Hurter of South Africa. They were escorted to Islamabad amid tight security.
Match schedule in Rawalpindi
The series opens on Sunday with Pakistan against Sri Lanka. Pakistan face England on Tuesday. Sri Lanka play England on October 22. All three fixtures are at the Rawalpindi venue in the reporting of the arrival and related security plan.
How police secured the journey
Rawalpindi police organised security and traffic cover from the airport into the federal capital. An elite force squad and traffic police escorted the ICC officials. Chief Traffic Officer Farhan Aslam headed traffic arrangements for their movement before they entered Islamabad territory.
Extra personnel were posted at important and public places. Police carried out special surveillance of bus stands and hotels. Around the cricket stadium, police station mobiles, elite units and dolphin squads were on patrol. Traffic measures were also set up to ease travel for ordinary citizens during the fixtures.
Policing for the ODI window
Police have already formed a security and discipline unit to speed deployment to assigned posts and to protect officers themselves during the ODI matches. The steps sit alongside the wider escort given to ICC officials as the series approaches.
Timeline: what has happened so far
Friday morning: Four ICC officials arrive at Islamabad International Airport and are escorted to Islamabad under tight security.
Sunday: First ODI — Pakistan versus Sri Lanka — scheduled in Rawalpindi.
Tuesday: Second ODI — Pakistan versus England.
October 22: Third ODI — Sri Lanka versus England.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Char ICC ke match officials juma subah Islamabad airport pahunche hain. Unke saath police ki sakht security aur traffic bandobast tha. Rawalpindi mein Sunday se Pakistan, Sri Lanka aur England ke ODI matches shuru ho rahe hain. Stadium ke aas-paas patrol zyada hai, is liye match ke din traffic slow ho sakti hai.
