KARACHI – *Here’s a look back at the teams and composite teams from variouscountries who have played short series in Pakistan since 2009, when aterror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus forced Pakistan to host teams inother countries, particularly UAE.*
*March 3, 2009*
The Sri Lankan team bus and a mini-van carrying match officials areattacked by militants near the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore ahead of the thirdday of a Test match. Six Sri Lankan players are injured; a reserve umpiresuffers serious injuries. Six security men and two civilians are killed inthe firing. The Test match and the tour is cancelled.
*April 2009*
With teams refusing to tour the country over security fears, Pakistan isforced to host its ‘home’ matches in neutral venues, predominantly in theUAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah). England hosts two Tests in 2010 betweenPakistan and Australia. 15114208
*April 2009*
Pakistan is dropped as a co-host of the 2011 World Cup in the subcontinent.Its 16 matches are shared between the other co-hosts – India, Bangladeshand Sri Lanka.
*February 2013*
An Afghanistan XI arrives in Pakistan to play three unofficial gamesagainst a Pakistan A side, including two one-dayers and a T20, in Lahore,Multan and Hyderabad. The hosts win all three games.
*December 2014*
Kenya tours the country for five limited-overs matches against Pakistan A,all in Lahore. The hosts win all five games.
*May 2015*
Zimbabwe becomes the first Test team to tour Pakistan since 2009. The twoT20s and three ODIs are all held at Lahore. The Zimbabweans are givenState-guest-level security. Pakistan win all games, save for the final ODIwhich is washed out.
*March 5, 2017*
The Pakistan Super League final is played in Lahore. The T20 tournament isnormally played in the UAE, but the Pakistan Cricket Board is keen to proveits readiness to host international players. The match is stagedsuccessfully without incident. International players, including MarlonSamuels, Darren Sammy and Chris Jordan, make the trip.
*September 2017*
A World XI side led by South Africa’s Faf du Plessis, plays three officialT20s in Lahore. Pakistan wins the series 2-1. Other big names that make thetrip include George Bailey, David Miller, Hashim Amla, Samuel Badree andveteran Paul Collingwood.
*October *2017
The Sri Lankans returned to Lahore for the first time in eight years sincethe horrific terror attack on their team bus. Sri Lanka agreed to play asolitary T20 in Pakistan, as a continuation of the tour of the UAE. Thethird and final T20 match of the series was played at the Gaddafi Stadiumin Lahore. However, the pull out of several big players from the Sri Lankanside for the Pakistan leg of the tour took the sheen out of the contest,and Pakistan won easily by 36 runs.