Delighted to see International cricket return to Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq
Former Pakistan’s ODI captain Misbah-ul-Haq expressed great joy after news of Zimbabwe touring Pakistan came in. He along with thousands of cricket followers in Pakistan was waiting for International cricket to resume in the country.
"I am really happy about that, at least something is happening for which people and players had been waiting for. It's a big joy for all of Pakistan cricket fans, players and for the PCB officials." Misbah was quoted as saying to ESPNCricinfo.
Sri Lanka was the last team to visit Pakistan in 2009. That tour was called off after the Sri Lankan team was attacked by gunmen while they were leaving from their hotel to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. This left Pakistan cricket with nothing as all the future tours of teams coming to Pakistan were cancelled with immediate concern over security. Misbah still can’t forget that day when cricket was damaged in the nation.
"That one early morning that happened was really frustrating and you could say it was very disappointing for Pakistan as after that it had a big effect on Pakistan cricket. When we saw the Sri Lankan players and the way it happened to them it was painful.
“That's the one thing in my whole life I would want to forget in my cricketing career because the way Pakistan cricket suffered."
Pakistan was forced to choose UAE as their home ground because no teams were willing to come to Pakistan to play cricket because of security concern. Misbah said as a player you’ll be disappointed because you are not getting to play cricket in front of your crowd.
"It has not been good because as a player you always want to play in front of crowd as it gives you more pleasure and more chance to express yourself in front of your own people in your own ground which is not happening for Pakistani cricketers," Misbah said.
In less than two weeks from now, Zimbabwe will become the first International team to tour Pakistan after a gap of 6 years. Zimbabwe’s team will be arriving in Pakistan on the 19th May to play three ODIs and one T20 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.