International cricket revives in Pakistan after six years

LAHORE: Scintillating openers Mukhtar Ahmed and Ahmed Shahzad hammered half centuries and later Shahid Afridi’s one-ball four steered Pakistan to a entertaining five wickets win against Zimbabwe in the opening tie of two-match T20 International series played for the first time at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday evening.
As international cricket returned to Pakistan after six years, the packed-to-capacity stadium enjoyed every moment of the match in sweltering conditions. They not only supported the team green but also cheered the Zimbabwe team and welcomed and saluted the visiting team with their mass presence. Jittery Pakistan got 173 for five in 19.3 overs in reply to courageous Zimbabwe, who scored 172 for six wickets.
Pakistan, after having a perfect start, wallowed in the middle nearly losing their nerves. The match which seemed finishing way before the regular quota of overs lingered on into the last over. In just 25 runs, Pakistan lost three key wickets — Mohammad Hafeez (12), Shoaib Malik (7), Umar Akmal (4) — that stretched the match to the last over when they required four runs off five balls.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi replaced Shoaib Malik and hit a four straight on his very first ball to Tinashe Panyangara to finish off the match while Sarfraz Ahmed remained not out at the other end.
Chasing Zimbabwe’s 172 for 6, Pakistan openers Mukhtar and Shahzad separated at 142 runs in 13.3 overs and in their attempt they also levelled Pakistan’s highest opening stand achieved by Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal against Bangladesh.
The solid foundation laid by openers, particularly Mukhtar, was ruined by the seniors like Hafeez, Umar and Malik but credit should not be taken away from Zimbabwe who fought well by first scoring big and then penetrating through Pakistan batting.
Mukhtar’s three sixes and 12 fours were enough to bring the crowd to their toes. He took 45 balls to reach 83 runs and was the victim of Cremer. When Shahzad reached his 55, Williams nipped the ball away which nicked to point and the Pakistan opener was back.
Seeing the back of Pakistan openers, hope developed in Zimbabwean ranks which further took height with the hosts’ nervousness. With Cremer having two wickets including the one of Hafeez, Panyangara, Vitori and Williams shared one wicket each.
Electing to bat, Zimbabwe’s opener Hamilton Masakadza with his quick scores and later in the middle Elton Chigumbura cracking half century knitted their team’s innings together with their big hits. Comeback veteran Mohammad Sami took two back to back wickets in his second over to soften their approach.
Hamilton and Vusimuzi Sibanda opened the Zimbabwean innings with aggression and in just 35 balls, Zimbabwe raced to 50 runs. At that point, Hamilton was at 42 and Sibanda 9 but when the score reached 68, Sami made the latter edge the ball to Sarfraz for 13 runs. On the very next ball, he uprooted their main run-scorer Hamilton at 43, which he got in 27 balls.
Zimbabwe, however, kept getting gradual runs after their openers were off the field. E Chigumbura found the score flowing and with eight fours and a six reached his half century. Four runs later at his personal 54, Chigumbura was clean bowled by Wahab Riaz, his second after he took an earlier wicket of Charles Conventry, who made 14.
Shoaib Malik, who was back in the team after one year, had Sean Williams (16) and Sami went for his third wicket of Sikandar Raza to have a very fruitful return in the national team. Richmond Mutumbani and Graeme Cremer remained not out in Zimbabwe’s first T20 international at the Gaddafi Stadium.
This T20 match may not be of great significance for the cricketing world but for Pakistan it is seen as an opening for many more international matches in Pakistan. Went into exile since March 3, 2009, the day Sri Lanka team was attacked by terrorists, Pakistan went into $120 million losses for holding matches away from home.
The second T20 of the two match rubber will be played on May 24 and three one-day internationals on May 26, 29 and 31.
AFP adds: From Pakistan’s most popular fan Chacha Cricket to the head of state, a nation of 200 million celebrated the return of international cricket in Pakistan for six years on Friday.
Hundreds of fans battled the 42 degree heat and stifling security checks in long queues hours before the start of the Twenty20 international against Zimbabwe at 7:00pm.President Mamnoon Hussain was among the sold-out 27,000 crowd at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Pakistan’s number one fan Sufi Jalil, famous as Chacha Cricket, summed up what the day meant to him. “I am born again today,” Jalil told AFP before the start of the match, waiving the green and white Pakistani flag.
“It’s the happiest day in my life as I waited for 2,269 days to be exact from March 3, 2009 to this day.“We want to give the message that Pakistan is a country of peace-loving people and a few people who have negative thoughts will not get success in their efforts and that Pakistani flag will wave like this always,” said Jalil.
Ever since the Zimbabwe team’s arrival, there were stringent security arrangements with 2,000 policemen guarding their hotel and the route to the stadium.Fans were advised to reach the ground four hours before the scheduled start of the match, but that still failed to dissuade them from watching the match.
“I had to go through seven check points but I am still happy,” said Uzair Ehtesham, watching the historic proceedings from Imran Khan stands.The match has created a frenzy in the cricket-mad country, deprived of watching their stars on their home grounds as Pakistan played all its home matches on the neutral venues of United Arab Emirates.
Another well known fan Chacha Twenty20 Zaman Khan was on hand to watch his team after buying a ticket on the black market.“I came from Dubai yesterday to watch this momentous match,” Zaman, who drives a private car, told AFP. “This is my first match in Pakistan as I have been watching all matches outside Pakistan.”
“It was difficult to go to the neutral venues as it needed a lot of money which I couldn’t afford,” added Jalil, who regularly visited the UAE on various sponsorships.
And with Chacha around, fans gathered to have his autograph and asking him where he was going to sit. “We are here to celebrate the return of cricket and want to sit in the same stand as Chacha,” said Ambreen Khan, an ‘O’ Level student.
“These are unforgettable moments and we hope and pray this remains the same.”Pakistan’s Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq was also ecstatic.“I am thrilled,” said Misbah. “These are good times for Pakistan cricket and although I am not part of the Twenty20 team I am feeling like I am playing.”
Misbah, appointed captain in 2010, had never led his country out in a home match. “This is something I miss but I hope and pray that soon we have a full Test series in Pakistan.”
Our correspondent adds: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has felicitated the Pakistan cricket team on its victory against Zimbabwe.
The prime minister asked the players to continue their good performance in the upcoming fixtures. He said that counter terrorism strategy of the government had paid dividends, making this series possible.