LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that international cricket will revived in Pakistan with the tour of World XI players to play the Independence Cup.
In his welcome message on the arrival of the players of International Cricket Council’s World XI, he termed their visit a moment of joy for the nation.
Quality cricket will be available for cricket lovers during the matches between the international team and Pakistan, he added.
The international players except Samual Badree reached Lahore early Monday. Badree will arrive in Pakistan later today.
Andy Flower, the coach of World XI, said that audience will watch great cricket and hoped that his team will show good performance against Pakistan in the series of Independence Cup.
He also extended appreciation on a warm welcome upon their arrival.
The 14-member team, which will be led by South Africa’s Faf du Plessis, is set to play three T20 matches in Lahore on September 12, 13, and 15 against Pakistan.
Tickets for the first match have sold out, but cricket lovers are making efforts to get tickets for the second and third matches.
Pakistan’s former T20 captain Shahid Afridi talking to BBC termed the arrival of World XI a major development that will help reviving the international cricket in Pakistan. He also hailed the efforts of PCB Chairman Najam Sethi and his team in this regard.
Squads
Pakistan
Sarfraz Ahmed (C), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Umar Amin, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Fahim Ashraf , Hasan Ali, Aamer Yamin, Mohammad Amir, Rumman Raees, Usman Khan, Sohail Khan
World XI
David Miller, Morne Morkel, Tim Paine, Thisara Perera, Imran Tahir, Darren Sammy, Hashim Amla, Grant Elliott, Samuel Badree, George Bailey, Tamim Iqbal, Paul Collingwood, Ben Cutting, Faf du Plessis (C)
