ICC to send World XI to Pakistan for T20 series

After the successful staging of PSL 2017’s final in Lahore, ICC is considering to send a World XI to Play a few T20s in the late September this year, as reported by The Guardian.

According to the report, ICC is planning to send the team to play a four-match series in Lahore after witnessing the successful final of PSL in Lahore on Sunday. According to Media Reports, 4 cricket board, Security Officials and ICC,s security officials attended PSLs final on Sunday to examine the provided security.

The four-match series at the Gaddafi Stadium/Edhi Stadium is likely to be named as “The Independence Cup” to mark 70^th anniversary of Pakistan’s Independence, and is intended to reopen the gates for top-level cricket to the country after 8 years (well 2 years in a way).

Giles Clarke, the president of England and Wales Cricket Board and head of ICCs Pakistan Task Force has been looking forward to end the isolation of Pakistanis from hosting home series stated the PSL final, while not simply a test run for the World XI series in itself, has shown cricket can be staged in Lahore.

“The desire is to give the cricket-starved Pakistani supporters the chance to see some of the world’s finest players in live action” said Clarke.

“The world of cricket needs to help Pakistan, who cannot continue to play their home fixtures overseas. The youth need inspiring, and the national teams need fat more cricket played in familiar terrain. Furthermore, the terrorists cannot win and cricket must not give up on Pakistan.”

The World XI series overseas team will assemble in Dubai on 17 September, before flying to Lahore for four matches on the 22nd, 23rd, 28th and 29th, and follow a similar security plan to the PSL final, the rehearsals for which were overseen by an ICC delegation who included the ECB’s security director, Reg Dickason.

“Ab bolo! PSL Lahore has opened the door to return of international cricket. ICC 11 will play four t20 matches in Lahore in Sept. Hooray!”, tweeted Najam Sethi.