On home ground

It was a heartwarming sight. Lahore happily played host to thousands of flag-waving, slogan-chanting fans cheering for both Pakistan and Zimbabwe as the two teams competed in what was much more than a cricket match. Played in stifling heat, the Twenty20 game marked the return of international cricket to a country that is passionate about the gentleman’s game. It was Pakistan’s first match against a Test-playing nation on home soil in more than six years. Even many optimists did not truly believe that such a match could take place in our own backyard considering that terrorist attacks remain rife in this country, a brutal reminder of which was given to us in the shape of the massacre of 45 Ismailis in Karachi earlier this month. But sometimes things just go right. We were desperate for international cricket on home soil and the Zimbabweans were desperate for it anywhere. There were a few hiccups but in the end the African nation stood by its promise and became the first full ICC member to tour Pakistan. In doing that, the Zimbabweans have become heroes to cricket-starved fans in Pakistan. And that was visible from the sort of warm applause the tourists received during the series opener on Friday night.
It was a truly joyous occasion and a final-over win sealed by a straight boundary from Pakistan’s veteran T20 captain Shahid Afridi turned out to be the perfect icing on the cake for the hosts. The heroes for Pakistan included 22-year-old rookie Mukhtar Ahmed, who bludgeoned the Zimbabwean attack in his whirlwind knock of 83, and opener Ahmed Shehzad. Then there was the comeback pacer Mohammad Sami who took three wickets in what was his first international game in three years. Also among the heroes were thousands of fans, who braved sweltering heat to be a part of history. Friday’s game was a memorable affair and should go on to serve as a turning point for Pakistan cricket and its campaign for the return of international matches to this country. There are four more games to go before this series concludes on May 31. It is hoped that the remaining matches are held as successfully as Friday’s game. The next step for our cricket authorities will be to convince other teams to tour Pakistan. That could be far more difficult because Zimbabwe also needed international matches and was, thus, easier to persuade. In the past, Pakistan has tried to convince teams like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to come and play here but without any success. One hopes things will change in the future because we have managed to break the ice. All we need to do now is to keep trying.