ISLAMABAD - Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) captain and president Kumar Sangakkara said on Thursday that the players were "really, really impressed and very, very moved and we understand very, very easily how much passion there is and how the lack of international cricket is not a great thing for Pakistan," a press release issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.
The former Sri Lanka captain said that it is always special to revisit the matches he has played in Pakistan and the MCC team was very surprised and moved by the welcome they received in the country.
"We never expected such a big crowd for a first game against the [Lahore] Qalandars. When we got to the ground, we had almost 19,000 people, hungry to watch some cricket."
The MCC team arrived link for a week-long tour on February 13 — in their first visit after 48 years — to play one 50-over and three 20-over matches with domestic teams in the country including Pakistan Shaheens, Northern, Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans.
"The message we will be taking back is about the warmth of the people, the welcome of the fabulous spectators who came to watch cricket, the passion the players and people have for it and our own experiences of playing here and travelling about in Lahore," said Sangakkara.
“We would love for teams to consider coming here so that international cricket can finally come back to Pakistan in full force.
"It's important that, when you are in a country on a tour, you're not confined to a hotel, but you can go around and enjoy the city and the country you're in," he added.
The MCC team during its week-long tour visited the Lahore Gymkhana golf course, the Lahore Fort and had dinner at the British High Commission.