KARACHI: Former chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed Sallu on Wednesday eulogised the tremendous sporting spirit and discipline of Karachiites as well as extraordinary efforts made by the Pakistan Cricket Board, law-enforcement agencies and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and his team for successfully staging the Pakistan-West Indies Twenty20 series which concluded here on Tuesday.

“No praise is high enough for how the West Indies matches have been organised and the credit first and foremost goes to the PCB and its chairman Najam Sethi for their untiring efforts and fine relations with the member boards to make it possible,” Sallu, who is also adviser to PCB chairman for Southern Region, said while talking to media.

“This is a dream come true really for all Pakistanis who have been starved of top-level cricket action for nearly ten years. It was a Herculean job for the PCB to convince foreign teams to visit this country again but Sethi sahab’s brilliance and good offices have made the impossible happen in such a short time,” he added.

Salla thanked Karachiites for their enthusiasm during the series which he said brought life back to the city after a long, long time. “Hats off to Karachi people who turned up in huge numbers despite the [stringent] security and hot weather. Their thunderous yet disciplined response in the series was great to watch,” said Sallu.

“I must also hand it to the law-enforcement agencies and CM Murad Ali Shah and his entire team who worked day and night to make this series absolutely incident-free which will be sending a very strong and positive message to the world about Pakistan being a safe country,” said the former Test player.

He also lauded media for its constant support and cooperation to highlight all the positive aspects of the auspicious occasion. “Newspapers, channels played a key role in building a great hype for this series and showing all the positive aspects which is delightful to see.

“I do not have an iota of doubt now that soon all the foreign teams will be touring Pakistan,” he said. “Sethi sahab has already announced that more than half of next year’s PSL matches will be held in the country which will be a huge step in convincing international players as well as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and countries’ national boards to organise more tours and play full-fledged series here.”

Speaking about the Pakistan team which whitewashed the tourists, Sallu said: “Pakistan is currently the number one T20 team in the world and under Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan is becoming a very competitive side full of talented youngsters which will surely excel in next year’s World Cup in England and at the 2020 World Twenty20 in Australia.”

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2018