Shahid Afridi: “Whenever international cricket will be fully revived in Pakistan, the credit will go to these foreign players who have come to our country”

Image courtesy of: Pakistan Super League

Legendary Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has thanked all the international stars that are taking part in the Pakistan leg of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), saying their decision to do so will go a long way in helping bring more international cricket back to the country.

Afridi, who is playing for the Multan Sultans in the tournament, added that all the 41 international players in this year’s tournament and those who featured in the past three years will be credited for lending a helping hand in reviving international cricket in Pakistan.

“Whenever international cricket will be fully revived in Pakistan, the credit will go to these foreign players who have come to our country,” Afridi, who has taken eight wickets in seven matches for the Sultans at an average of 19.37, told the PSL website. “We salute them for touring Pakistan and appreciate their contribution.”

International matches have slowly started trickling back to Pakistan as Sri Lanka played a Twenty20 International in Lahore in October 2017 before the West Indies played a three-match Twenty20 series in Karachi in April 2018.

“These PSL matches and the few series we have hosted since 2015 have proved that Pakistan is a safe country, the people here are peace-loving people and they want to watch cricket on their grounds,” he said. 

“I am sure with security improving and these foreign players coming to Pakistan will send a very positive message to the world and I hope more teams will come to Pakistan and our isolation will soon be over.”