KARACHI: West Indies won the toss and chose to field in the Twenty20 opener against Pakistan on Sunday as international cricket returned to Karachi after nine years. A packed National Cricket Stsadium prsented a wonderful view amid electrifying atmosphere as thousands cheered both teams in the opening game of the three-match T20 series here.

The southern port city last hosted an international game in 2009 when Sri Lanka played a test match before an attack by gunmen on its team bus in Lahore shut the door on international cricket in Pakistan.

Six Pakistan policemen and two civilians were killed in that attack, and six members of the Sri Lanka team were injured.

Gradually the Pakistan Cricket Board is trying to convince foreign teams that it’s safe to play cricket in the country with Lahore hosting Zimbabwe, a World XI, Sri Lanka and a Pakistan Super League final over the last three years.

Karachi hosted the PSL final last week, with several foreign players competing.

However, at least four top West Indies players Jason Holder, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis pulled out of the three-match T20 series against Pakistan apparently due to security concerns.

A relatively weakened West Indies 13-member squad arrived late on Saturday night amid tight security.

The tourists have been provided with presidential-like security with dozens of armed guards escorting the teams during travel.

Pakistan awarded debuts to Asif Ali and Hussain Talat, who both performed well with the bat in the PSL while representing champions Islamabad United.

West Indies has Marlon Samuels and Samuel Badree as its most experienced players in the side, led by Jason Mohammed. All-rounder Keemo Paul and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul made Twenty20 debuts for the tourists.

Teams: Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Muhammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali.

West Indies: Jason Mohammed (captain), Andre Fletcher, Chadwick Walton, Marlon Samuels, Rovman Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Keemo Paul, Samuel Badree, Rayad Emrit, Veerasammy Permaul, Kesrick Williams.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2018