Cricket at a glance

Cricket in Pakistan has a history of even before the creation of the country in 1947. The first ever international cricket match in what is Pakistan today was held in Karachi on November 22, 1935 between Sindhi and Australian cricket teams. The match was seen by 5000 Karachites.  It was introduced by the British during their colonial rule of British India, which covered the area now known as Pakistan. Despite Field hockey being the national sport of Pakistan, cricket is the most popular sport in the country. Pakistan has produced many talented cricketers who have been among the best batsmen and bowlers in international cricket.

Cricket teams in Pakistan take part in domestic competitions such as the ABN-AMRO Cup, the ABN-AMRO Patron's Trophy, ABN-AMRO Twenty-20 Cup and the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy International Test matches and One Day International matches are played between the Pakistan national team and foreign opponents regularly. The team has won many international cricket tournaments, including the World Cup and the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. They finished runners up in the 1999 World Cup and the 2007 World Twenty20.

Now cricket at present is not in a good shape in Pakistan as our cricket team was affected by deadly attack that happened on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009, which prompted overseas sides to stop touring the cricket-mad but troubled country. The Lahore attack, which left eight Pakistanis dead and seven of the Sri Lankan contingent injured, turned the Pakistan team into cricket nomads, forced to play “home” series at neutral venues in England, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates.

While security in much of Pakistan has improved since 2009, bombings and shootings are a near-daily occurrence as the country battles homegrown Taliban, and the chance of any high-profile tours looks very distant. It is encouraging that players such as Jayasuriya, and South Africa’s Andre Nel and Nantie Hayward, are willing to come, and a successful weekend will undoubtedly send out a positive message about the country as a cricket destination. But the top names on the International World XI team sheet are all players at least five years past their peak. Bringing a high-profile team such as England or Australia, would be a very different prospect. While minnows such as Bangladesh balk at visiting, it is hard to see how bigger name teams will be persuaded.

Whatever the long-term chances, for now Pakistan’s tens of millions of cricket nuts are just delighted to have a couple of games on their doorstep.

Fatima Aslam
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