Malala Yousafzai meets Pakistan team at Edgbaston

Nobel laureate was formally received by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan

Pakistan national team met with Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai at the end of the fourth day’s play at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in a ceremony conducted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Malala was formally received by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan as well as Pakistan High Commissioner to United Kingdom Syed Ibne Abbas.

A resident of Birmingham, the Nobel laureate was watching the match live for the first time ever. She said she hopes that Pakistani fans get to watch their national team perform in front of them.

An inspiration to all. Malala Yousafzai met her Pakistan cricket heroes at the 3rd #EngvPak Test #SpiritofCricket pic.twitter.com/ffXSTw9c9V

— ICC (@ICC) August 7, 2016

“I am ready to tell the world that Pakistan is a safe place and teams should go there and play cricket,” Malala told reporters.



“What the outside world thinks about Pakistan is not true and all those terrorists are not Pakistanis, so teams should come and play in Pakistan and wherever I will go I will tell the world about this.”

The 19-year-old also said that she hopes Pakistan could spring a surprise and grab an unlikely victory.

“I never went to a cricket match in Pakistan and this is my first time and I am here to support the Pakistan team which is doing well,” she said.



PCB chairman welcomed Malala and said he was thrilled to have her in the stands supporting Pakistan.

“It is a pleasure to see Malala here today as she gives a morale boost to the Pakistan players at a crucial time of this Test match,” he said. “I know that she is keen to watch cricket and enjoy the fine play we have seen so far in this match.”

Test captain Misbahul Haq also presented Malala with a mini-bat signed by his side as a token of appreciation for the activist.



This article initially appeared on SportsKeeda