THE Sri Lankan Cricket Board has paved the way for a resumption of international cricket in Pakistan by agreeing to a visit by the Sri Lankan team to this country where it would play at least one T20 in Lahore next month. Deprived of international cricket at home since the last eight years, fans view this development as a sign of hope that Pakistan will once again start hosting foreign teams. Sri Lankan cricket chief Thilanga Sumathipala’s announcement of the islanders’ short tour to Pakistan carried a message for the entire cricketing world. He spoke of improved security and playing conditions in Pakistan — approved by the SLC’s professional assessment team. He also asked for support from Asian cricketing nations for Pakistan. However, there is some irony in the fact that it was the Sri Lankan team back in 2009 that was the unfortunate target of a terror attack in Lahore. It was this incident which effectively put a halt to international cricket activity in the country. The Sri Lanka tour, though, will still depend largely on how a planned series between Pakistan and a World XI side pans out early next month.

A number of factors have contributed to the recent change of heart from the cricket powers that be to seriously consider bringing Pakistan back into the fold as the host of international matches. The staging of the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore in March, featuring as many as nine foreign players, was the first step in this direction. Soon afterwards, the International Cricket Council, showing support for Pakistan playing the host, initiated talks of a World XI travelling to Lahore. Pakistan’s magnificent show at the Champions Trophy in England in June was another contributing factor. As Sarfraz Ahmed’s men astounded the world by lifting the coveted trophy after beating the leading sides including South Africa, England and India, critics and experts were convinced that abundant talent still existed in Pakistan and that it was capable of making remarkable progress despite the lull in international activity there. Credit must also be given to the newly elected PCB chairman Najam Sethi who fought his case in the recent Asian Cricket Council meeting to first get the Under-19 Asia Cup shifted out of India to Malaysia, and later to convince the SLC top brass to make a firm commitment to the T20 fixture in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2017