Du Plessis to captain World XI touring Pak, Amla also in 15-member squad
PCB chairman said Hashim Amla and Samuel Badree will be part of the touring side
LAHORE (Dunya News/AFP) – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi said World XI that will tour Pakistan in September will include foreign players from seven countries.
He added that Hashim Amla and Samuel Badree will be a part of World XI that will play matches in Pakistan. All T20 matches will be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, he told.
This year, the final match of Pakistan Super League second edition was also in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The T20 matches between Pakistan and World XI will be played on September 12, 13 and 15. Imran Tahir, Darren Sammy, and others will be added in the World XI squad.
Full list of players that will tour Pakistan for World XI T20 matches:
Andy Flower as head coach. Grant Elliott, Tamim Iqbal, Ben Cutting, Thisara Perera, George Bailey, Faf du Plessis (captain), David Miller, Morne Morkel, Tim Paine (wicket-keeper), Paul Collingwood, Imran Tahir, Darren Sammy, Hashim Amla and Samuel Badree.
On the other hand, Sarfaraz Ahmed is expected to lead Pakistani side. List of players in squad for Pakistan which will be play T20 matches against World XI is yet to be announced.
The matches are aimed at ending Pakistan s international isolation, triggered after militants attacked the visiting Sri Lankan team s bus in Lahore in 2009.
Pakistan has hosted all its international matches in the neutral venue of the United Arab Emirates since.
But security has improved dramatically in recent years, giving fans hope that international cricket could finally return, a massive boost in a country where the game is far and away its most popular sport.
Former Zimbabwe captain and ex-England coach Andy Flower will coach the side, which is set to arrive in Lahore on September 11 after attending a two-day camp in Dubai, said the PCB.
Du Plessis, who recently led South Africa on the tour of England, said he was "honoured" to tour Pakistan.
"All the members of the squad have complete faith and trust in the assessment and judgement of the security experts, who have assured us that there will be no comprise on the safety and security of all those involved in the series," he said, according to a PCB statement.
Du Plessis said he had played "very exciting" matches against Pakistan in the past, but this would be his first match before a home crowd.
"(P)laying Pakistan in front of its passionate supporters will be a unique occasion, which I can t wait to experience," he said.
Amla, who visited Pakistan with a Graeme Smith-led side in 2007, said he looked forward to returning, and was "confident" of having recovered from a shoulder injury.
If the World XI tour goes off without problems, Pakistan hope Sri Lanka will also play a Twenty20 in Lahore in October -- a match which will be hugely symbolic for the return of international cricket -- followed by a three-match Twenty20 series against West Indies in November.
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed was optimistic: "I am confident that following the success of these matches, Pakistan will host regular international series which we badly need."
