West Indies look past security concerns to play in Pakistan

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The West Indies cricket team has set aside security concerns to visit Pakistan for a three-match Twenty20 series in the southern city of Karachi.

A 13-member Windies squad is touring the South Asian nation to play the three consecutive T20 matches against the hosts from April 1 to 3.

The team includes prominent players like Marlon Samuels, Samuel Badree and Andre Fletcher with vice-captain of the one-day international team Jason Mohammed as the captain.

A rare opportunity

The contest is a unique opportunity for Pakistan's young cricket fans as this is one of the few times they will see high-profile matches on home soil.

International cricket in the country suffered a major blow in 2009 when militants ambushed a bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team in the eastern city of Lahore.

Six players were injured while two civilians and six security officials were killed in the attack.

Since then, the Pakistan team has been playing its home series abroad as cricketing nations have refused to visit the country on security grounds.

Pakistan's Sarfraz Ahmed and teammates celebrate winning the ICC Champions Trophy against India at the Oval, June 18, 2017. /Reuters Photo

International cricket, however, started to gradually return to Pakistan after the Zimbabweans visited in 2016, though that series did not create much buzz.

Pakistan hosted a World XI cricket team for three T20 matches last September, with South African skipper Faf du Plessis leading the World XI line-up.

Pakistan has also hosted the Sri Lanka team for limited overs matches.

All the games were played all at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

Concerns and hope

Security is still an issue for some International players, however. Some of the top West Indies cricketers opted out of the tour, including T20I captain Carlos Brathwaite, Jason Holder, Chris Gayle and Devendra Bishoo.

“We had a few players including regular T20I captain Carlos Brathwaite that opted not to tour Pakistan, due to their or their families’ security concerns and CWI have fully accepted their position,” chairman of Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel Courtney Browne said in a statement.

“This tour is a further major step for our friends at the PCB to bring their cricket back home and we are pleased that our players and support staff have recognized this and supported this venture,” said Jonny Grave, CWI's chief executive officer.

"Independent security advisers, Eastern Star International, have confirmed ... they are satisfied that the risk is manageable and can be mitigated to an acceptable level.

"We have made it very clear to the players and support staff that had personal reservations about this tour that we fully understand and accept their position."

A Pakistani spectator holds a national flag as he waits for his turn to enter Gaddafi Cricket Stadium to watch the hugely anticipated final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Lahore, March 5, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The T20 series between Pakistan and West Indies will be the first International clash at Karachi since the Lahore bus attack and follows last Sunday's final of the country's domestic T20 cricket league, Pakistan Super League (PSL), featuring some international players at the venue.

The PSL final was played under a massive security presence.

After the successful hosting of PSL cricket final, Pakistan has sent an invitation to foreign national teams to play regular cricket in the country and look past security concerns.

Najam Sethi, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, termed the final "a very big historic occasion," telling fans in the stadium, “You have filled this stadium and shown the world that we are ready for the return of the international cricket.”

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi declared it “a victory for the entire nation.”

[Cover Photo: West Indies Carlos Brathwaite (R) and Marlon Samuels after the World Twenty20 title in Kolkata, India, April 3, 2016. /Reuters Photo]