Pakistan v Zimbabwe: Shaharyar urges fans to make the series memorable

PCB chief grateful to touring African side for honouring commitment.

LAHORE: As international cricket makes a return to Pakistan with just a day to go, the six-year drought of ‘real’ action is tantalisingly near its end.

It has been a long, arduous journey for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), cricketers and fans alike. PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan agrees, saying that convincing a Test-playing nation to visit Pakistan after a long barren stretch is a major breakthrough.

“A Test team arriving and playing in Pakistan is fraught with significance, as it is expected to open doors for more tours in the future,” Shaharyar told The Express Tribune. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and we hope that the step we and Zimbabwe took will allow us to host bigger teams as well in the near future.”

The chairman said he hoped the Pakistan fans can be counted on to make the African team feel at home. “I urge the public to cheer Zimbabwe along with our team as well,” he said. “It was certainly not easy for them to come to Pakistan, but they made it, which is tremendous for fans, cricketers and Pakistan cricket.”

Several international players including Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Azhar Ali and Muhammad Irfan would be playing international cricket at home for the first time in their career and Shaharyar feels that this will be a real test for them. “It would be an enjoyable occasion for them undoubtedly, but it will also be a new experience for them to play international cricket in front of fans at home,” stated Shaharyar.

He commended Zimbabwe Cricket’s official in playing a pivotal role to assure their government about Pakistan’s security measures.

Meanwhile, former PCB chairman and current Governing Board member Najam Sethi appreciated the efforts of the Punjab government, reiterating that all the preparations and precautions would not have been possible without their support. “It was Punjab’s security assurance which confirmed our belief that it was possible to host Zimbabwe,” said Sethi.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2015.

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