LAHORE, Pakistan: Former Pakistan Captain Muhammad Yousaf said on Friday that the upcoming tour of the Sri Lankan team to play a T20 game in Lahore is a defining moment in Pakistan cricket.
“It is a history making moment in Pakistan cricket as the Sri Lankan team will be visiting Pakistan after a gap of almost nine years and it is going to have a very positive impact on our national cricket”, he told the state-run news agency in Lahore.
Sri Lanka will be playing their third and last match of the ongoing T20 series on October 29 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
“It does not matter that the Lankan team is playing a lone T20 game in Pakistan, what is important that the visiting team is playing in Pakistan after 2009 unfortunate incident when their bus was attacked by attacked by the terrorists,” Yousaf said.
Muhammad Yousaf termed the Pak-Lanka match a very important cricket activity “which will see international cricket taking place in Pakistan”.
“The successful tour of the World XI paved the way for the return of international cricket to Pakistan and now the Lankan team playing a T20 game is another step forward to have international cricket being played in Pakistan”, he said.
Yousaf acknowledged the hard work and continuous efforts of the Pakistan Cricket Board for bringing back international cricket to Pakistan.
“PCB stood firm on its stance of having cricket in Pakistan and it pleaded country’s case at all the international forums in a very professional manner and finally the international cricket council also lent its support for the resumption of international cricket in the country by sending its World XI to Pakistan last month”, he said.
The former Pakistan captain was of the view that return of the international cricket will serve the cause of cricket in Pakistan, especially at the youth level as the young generation will be getting big inspiration by seeing foreign teams playing in Pakistan.
“I appreciate the Lankan side for visiting Pakistan and I value their gesture to support the cause of bringing back international cricket to Pakistan”, said Yousaf.
Muhammad Yousaf said that the Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi deserves praise for ensuring the return of international cricket to Pakistan.
“He (Sethi) launched Pakistan Super League and made it a success, then its final and the tour of the World XI were successfully organised in Lahore and all these efforts served as trust building measures which helped in convincing the ICC and other cricket playing countries to send their teams to Pakistan”, the former batsman said.
Yousaf said that after the visit of Lankan side, West Indies team will be touring Pakistan next month to play a three-match T20 series and these visits will be inspiration and motivation for other teams to consider touring Pakistan in due course of time.
