LAHORE: Around 27,000 fans are ready to throng the Gaddafi Stadium as the countdown to the high-stakes series ends on Friday when the green-shirts take on Zimbabwe in the much-awaited first T20.

No Test-playing country has visited Pakistan since terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore six years ago, killing eight people and injuring seven players.

In the current squad, only all-rounders Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, fast bowlers Mohammad Sami and Wahab Riaz have played international cricket on home soil whereas a good number of players simply being unable to play before the home crowd due to fragile security situation in the country.

On the other hand, crazy cricket fans who have been unable to watch any international cricket due to security situation have finally succeeded in buying tickets of the two T20s amid all disruptions including the ones caused by the tight security arrangements.

The two-match T20 series will not only provide both teams an opportunity to improve their rankings but also become a milestone for Pakistan in connection with their efforts for the revival of international cricket in the country.

In the absence of key bowlers like Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul, Wahab will spearhead the fast bowling attack along with Sami who has to prove his selection, which has stunned many for there remains no prominent performance at his back in domestic cricket.

Skippers Shahid Afridi and Elton Chigumbura pose with the series trophy.—White Star

While Anwar Ali will boost the fast bowling attack, captain Afridi along with Malik will take care of spin duty with batsmen like Ahmed Shehzad, Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Mukhtar Ahmed and Nauman Anwar being tested in the T20 clashes.

Also, the visitors, whose T20 side seems quite inexperienced which may cost them in the current series, have made seven changes to the team which played the last World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Before the all important T20 clash both captains looked upbeat with Afridi welcoming the return of international cricket to Pakistan while his Zimbabwean counterpart shrugged off security fears and said his players were focusing on cricket.

The second T20 match will be staged on Sunday before the start of three-match ODI series on May 26 with all the matches being staged at the Gaddafi Stadium where the trophy of the T20 series was also unveiled during a pre-match news conference addressed by both the skippers.

“It is extremely pleasing that the moment for which we have been waiting for six years has finally come. I would like to give credit to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan besides the Zimbabwe Cricket, government and their players,” Afridi maintained.

“I also feel honoured for getting an opportunity to play before the home crowd at the end of my international career,” said the T20 skipper before his attention was turned to the return of Malik and Sami to the national outfit.

“Both Malik and Sami are seasoned players and they have many good performances at their back. Now they got another chance and hopefully they will grab this opportunity by giving extraordinary performances,” he said.

To a question, Afridi gave a veiled warning to under-performing opener Shehzad and others, saying: “Everyone including me has to perform. Shehzad and Umar Akmal have failed to perform but they have been getting chances for a long time. They must perform, otherwise other players are waiting for their turn.”

Pakistan players take part in a training session at the Gaddafi Stadium.—AP

Showing no concern about Pakistan T20 ranking which could drop from 5th in case the greenshirts lose both the T20 matches, Afridi argued: “Obliviously, when you have long-term targets at the back of your mind, you focus on them instead of rankings, and you have to do some experiments to build the team after removing their shortcomings.

“And the good news is that the captain, selectors and coaches are doing their job and I believe if all goes well, Pakistan team will reap good results,” he said while stating that he had asked the selectors to give him three or four best players from the domestic cricket for the World Twenty20.

Asked if he expected a 5-0 whitewash of Zimbabwe in the upcoming matches, Afridi said he did not underestimate any team, especially in the T20 format, adding that there were little chances for teams to stage a comeback in the T20s unlike Test and ODIs.

When asked he had no fast bowlers like Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan, Afridi said he was not afraid of defeat as he took it as a challenge. “The best players have been selected and they are our fighters and they will give us the best results,” he maintained.

On the other hand, the Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura said his team’s main focus would be on the game of cricket instead of being worried about security.

Chigumbura said his squad was looking forward to building on the positives they earned at the World Cup.

“We just want to try and carry the momentum we gained at the World Cup, and obviously will seek to improve a few of our shortcomings,” maintained the Zimbabwe captain who also expressed hopes that they would seek to take advantage of tips their head coach Dav Whatmore, who had worked as head coach with Pakistan squad in the past, had given to them.

About winning chances of his team, he said the team which played better on the match day would win.

Squads:

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mukhtar Ahmed, Nauman Anwar, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), Hammad Azam, Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami, Bilawal Bhatti, Imad Wasim.

Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (captain), Sikandar Raza Butt, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Charles Coventry5, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Roy Kaia, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Richmond Mutumbami, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Sean Williams.

Field umpires: Ahsan Raza, Shozaib Raza.

TV umpire: Ahmad Shahab.

Referee: Azhar Khan.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2015

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