Lahore likely to host Pakistan vs World-XI this September

by Saad Rizwan Wed 08 Mar 2017, 2:50 am

LAHORE: (Web Desk) – Lahore is likely to host a 4-match series between Pakistan team and a World-XI side this September according to reports. The series termed as Independence Cup just after the 70th independence day of Pakistan will be played at the same venue where PSL 2017 final was held.
The plan has been set up by International Cricket Council (ICC) and though the details of the series haven’t yet been finalised, it is most likely to be held in September. ICC’s Pakistan Task Force head Giles Clarke, who is also the president of England Cricket Board, has said that Cricket cannot leave Pakistan alone.
“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 far more cricket played in familiar terrain. Furthermore, the terrorists cannot win and cricket must not give up on Pakistan”, he was reported to have said by The Guardian.
The matches will be played on 22nd, 23rd, 28th and 29th of September. However, the teams haven’t yet been set up for the purpose and details will soon be finalised.
Pakistan hosted PSL’s final last night at Gaddafi Stadium of Lahore, where Peshawar Zalmi beat Quetta Gladiators to the title before a massive crowd after a spectacular closing ceremony. Though some of the foreign players refused to come to Pakistan for the final, Zalmi players including Darren Sammy, Dawid Malan, Marlon Samuels and Chris Jordan came to play the final. Sammy has actually become an extremely popular figure in the country due to his gestures and Twitter posts during the tournament.