Pakistan gave a huge sigh of relief yesterday after Zimbabwe’s high-stakes, high-security tour ended without major incident, the first top-level international cricket in the insurgency-hit country in six years.
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Cricket-mad Pakistani fans, starved of action at home since gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009, packed Lahore’s Gaddafi stadium for the two Twenty20s and three one-day internationals.
The home side dominated, winning both T20s and two of the ODIs, with the third rained off, but the symbolism of the matches mattered far more than the results.
And as the Africans flew out early yesterday, the Pakistan Cricket Board was already talking up the chances of luring more international teams.
But much remains to be done to convince foreign boards, players and umpires that the country is once again safe to tour.
Thanks @ZimCricketv & all the cricketers 2 make it happen & giving all the happiness back on the faces of Pakistan cricket fans.stay blessed
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) May 31, 2015
Zimbabwe are a fairly low-profile team but they still needed a mammoth security operation – reportedly bigger than for visiting heads of state – with 4,000 policemen guarding the stadium and another 2,000 at the team hotel and on their route to the ground.
Even with these measures in place, a blast hit Lahore during Friday’s second ODI, killing two people, with Pakistani officials giving conflicting accounts.
Police insisted it was a gas cylinder explosion but a government minister said it was a suicide bomber who detonated explosives when challenged by police at a security cordon some 1.5 kilometres from the ground.
Despite the blast, Zimbabwe went ahead with the final ODI and PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said it was a complete team effort which helped the revival, hailing the courage of the police.
“I think praise is due to an unknown policeman guarding the team to the government and to every cricket fan who packed the stadium despite security hassles and made this a successful and safe series,” Khan said.
PCB is now hoping Sri Lanka will agree to tour, possibly next year.
I’m glad the tour was a big success,hopefully it brings changes to Pakistan Cricket and they get more games at home
— chamu justice (@chamulaw) June 1, 2015
Sri Lanka Cricket’s interim committee chairman Sidath Wettimuny, who was at the third ODI, said he was delighted at the success of the tour. “I am amazed with crowd.
They have shown that they want to see international cricket and it is a great start for Pakistan,” he said.
But the scars of the 2009 attack, which claimed eight lives, are still raw and Wettimuny was cautious about sending his team to Pakistan.
“We have always been very supportive of Pakistan cricket. I will go back and tell our board what I have seen and take it from there,” he said.
