Last skipper to visit Pakistan, Elton Chigumbura will follow World XI matches

Cricket fans are waiting with bated breath as the World XI series is set to kick off at Lahore today. The tournament will be a major boost for the revival of the sport in the nation. It may also help shape the conscience of the cricketers, which plays a major role in cordoning off security-related issues on international tours.

To put things into perspective, international cricket in Pakistan came to a standstill after anti-socials attacked a bus carrying Sri Lanka cricketers to the Gaddafi Stadium, in March 2009. Following the mishap, several countries had refused to tour the nation thereafter and consequently, Pakistan had to shift their base to the UAE and have been playing all their home cricket matches there for the past eight years.

Zimbabwean all rounder Elton Chigumbura was the last international captain to visit Pakistan post the 2009 terror attacks. And the 32-year-Chigumbura has now revealed that he is extremely upbeat to witness cricket back in the nation and will be keenly following all the matches. Although no player from his country is a playing member of the World XI team that plays Pakistan this week, Andy Flower is the lone representative from the nation who has been bestowed with the responsibility of coaching the side.

Chigumbura recollects his last visit to Pakistan

Speaking to PakObserver.Net, he said, “I love watching cricket of other teams playing and will follow the proceedings in Pakistan. I have been there two times one time with Zimbabwe team then the other time with T20 team and both times it was good. The security was on point and people there love their cricket and I enjoyed it.”

“From the last time I went it was safe the security was good. They where on point they did a good job”.
“We didn’t move cities we were in one town and where we stayed there was a mall so it was ok. Those who wanted did go for shopping in the mall.”

The World XI will be led by head coach Andy Flower and captained by South Africa’s Faf du Plessis. The Pakistan squad will play a three-match T20I series against the World XI, which kicks off today. The second and third T20 will be played on September 13 and 15, respectively.