ISLAMABAD (APP): The International Cricket Council (ICC) Saturday congratulated Pakistan for successful staging of the Independence Cup against World XI at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
ICC Director, Giles Clarke, and ICC Chief Executive, David Richardson, thanked the people of Pakistan for embracing the World XI players, and said the series has demonstrated Pakistan’s passion and love for cricket, as well as its ability to provide an environment in which international cricket stars can show their talent, according to an ICC press release.
They said these are small steps for Pakistan towards the safe and steady revival of bilateral international cricket, and indicated that the next step would be a tour by a Full Member country as opposed to a composite side. Clarke, who attended the first two matches, said the reaction of Pakistanis who were at the ground is something I have never seen in my life. “This tour unleashed the deep and powerful emotions that exist around cricket in this country’s makeup and its society,” he said.
“It has been a fantastic tournament and I am very grateful to everybody for all the hard work – by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and everybody else,” he said. Richardson, who attended the second T20, said “with the tour having gone off so successfully and the security arrangements having being implemented so well, we can call it a success.” “The players that came on the tour witnessed the security arrangements firsthand and can go back and report back that although there may be some level of risk, it can be managed successfully,” he said.
“The main objective of that is to try to build confidence in the likes of the Australians, South Africans and other countries that the threat can be managed and this tour has shown that is the case. Returning full-time international cricket back to Pakistan is not going to be an overnight miracle. It has to take time. The PSL final was the first step, this is the second.” He said “we are really very happy for the people of Pakistan and grateful that they have welcomed the World XI in the fashion that they did.”
