Cricket in Pakistan

In the ODI series against Sri Lanka, the tourists clinched the T20 series by outshining the hosts in every aspect of the game. Before the start of the T20 series, everyone was thinking that it will be a one-sided affair and victory for the green caps will be like a walk in the park against the Sri Lankans but all our hopes were dashed to the ground when our team suffered one defeat after another till the visitors whitewashed us in the third and final match. It is worth-mentioning that leading players from the Sri Lankan team declined to visit Pakistan due to security concerns. So, credit should be given where it is due – kudos to the Sri Lankan captain and the young, exuberant and inexperienced players who played exceptionally well and outplayed a side which is ranked number one in the shortest format of the game. Moreover, the Sri Lankan team deserves our accolades because the country consented to play on our soil when the rest of the cricketing nations still show reluctance to play in Pakistan owing to security threats.

The series was also a litmus test for the newly-appointed head-coach-cum-chief-selector and the bowling coach. But as is said: “One swallow does not prove a summer”. For certain, by assessing the individual performances of the players, the new appointees will set the house in order to avoid such a situation in the upcoming series against the formidable Aussies. In addition, I congratulate the entire PCB administration and the security agencies which provided foolproof security and the event ended in an incident-free manner. The Sri Lankan team’s tour to Pakistan is a flicker of hope which will pave the way for the revival of international cricket in Pakistan.

Muhammad Fayyaz Nawrha

Mianwali