LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has invited eighteen former Test cricketers including former captain-turned-politician Imran Khan, to watch the Independence Cup matches between Pakistan and the World XI, chairman PCB Najam Sethi disclosed during a press conference held here on Thursday.

Imran has remained a strong critic of Sethi during the past, but when Sethi was re-elected as the PCB chairman last month, surprisingly no statement was issued by the World Cup winning skipper. In fact, the cricketing circles at one time were expecting Imran to file a petition against Sethi’s PCB elections, but no such move came to fore.

And now the PCB has invited Imran — who is undoubtedly one of the greatest players to have played the game — to watch the World XI games which is indeed a fine gesture of the board’s part.

Moreover, the PCB chairman said that he had invited three ex-captains — Misbah-ul-Haq, Younus Khan and Shahid Afridi — all of whom announced their retirements from international cricket this year, for their grand farewell ceremony set to be held on Sept 14 in Lahore — the rest day in between the Independence Cup matches .

“I have personally talked to Misbah, Younus and Afridi and all had agreed. However, now the rumours are that Afridi may not come. But I am very hopeful that all the three stalwarts will attend the farewell ceremony,” Sethi said.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2017