KARACHI: The cricketing world has descended upon Pakistan — at long last. It’s a moment that’s been 29 years in the making, but that long wait will be worth it when Pakistan square off against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy opener at the National Bank Stadium on Wednesday.
The euphoria of holding an ICC tournament for the first time since 1996 is palpable; the routes to the venue are decked out in Champions Trophy branding, the stadium is decorated in bright green and blue hues, and President Asif Ali Zardari is expected to be in attendance at the opening game.
According to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi, “Pakistan is fully prepared for the Champions Trophy”. But some fans are still struggling to come to terms with the sense of occasion.
“If someone in 2015 told me that England and Australia will come to Pakistan, I’d have definitely laughed it off,” Mohammad Abdullah, a fan, told Dawn on Tuesday.
“I’d have deemed it delusional. When Pakistan were announced as Champions Trophy hosts, I was only expecting it to be called off eventually. So, it’s a huge victory for Pakistan already.”
Tournament ends anticipation for a generation of Pakistanis who have been waiting for international cricket’s return
Pakistan has surely come a long way to host an ICC event for the first time after 1996 when the country’s status as a safe cricketing venue was stripped following an attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009.
That year, Pakistan lost the hosting rights to the 2009 Champions Trophy and was ruled out as co-hosts of the 2011 World Cup.
An era of empty, silent stadiums followed.
Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi, who was at the helm of the board when Zimbabwe became the first team to visit Pakistan after the 2009 tragedy, said the Pakistan Super League played a huge part in convincing teams to tour the country.
“It was quite difficult [to convince teams to tour],” Mr Sethi told Dawn. “But the [advent] of PSL proved that security could be managed.”
Boon for Pakistan cricket
Sixteen years on, international cricket has made a gradual return to Pakistan. More recently, the country’s stadiums have been renovated and upgraded for the Champions Trophy.
In an ambitious move by the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB, the renovation work was completed in a little over 100 days, with Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and Karachi’s National Stadium undergoing major plastic surgery.
