FEELING RIGHT AT HOME
IF a week is a long time in sport, then what about 17 years?
It is an eon. In cricketing terms it is two generations worth of English red-ball talent who never had the chance to challenge themselves against Pakistan’s best in their own backyard.
And what a challenge it is too, with England having won just one series and two matches in Pakistan in their history.
Ben Stokes’ team will try to shift the numbers England’s way over the next few weeks, and as they do their presence back in Pakistan for the oldest format of the game will already be a victory of sorts.
Head coach Brendon McCullum said: “Obviously things were difficult for Pakistan not having any international cricket here for a long period of time.
“Now international cricket is back here, hopefully that does unlock a real passion that
Pakistani people have for cricket. I’m really happy to be here, I can’t stress how well we’ve been looked after so far.”
The reason for the missing matches was down to a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 in the middle of a Test match in Lahore.
It sent shockwaves through the sport and the country and saw the
Pakistan national team sent to play in exile in the UAE while the security and safety of the teams could not be guaranteed. At the time, former Warwickshire batsman and ex-Leicestershire CEO Wasim Khan was the Pakistan Cricket Board CEO.
He said: “We have a generation of Pakistani cricketers and supporters who have not seen their heroes play on home soil. We will now play our matches in Pakistan, the security and safety is fine.” After 17 years cricket is finally coming home for Pakistani nationals.