Faf Du Plessis will the lead the World XI that will tour Pakistan for a three match T-20 series later this September, Pakistan Cricket Board Najam Sethi said on Thursday. Lahore will host all the three matches of the Independence Cup which is scheduled to be played on September 12, 13 and 15.
“I am honored to have been appointed as the captain of such a diverse, attractive and well-balanced side. Like most of the players, I look forward to my maiden tour of Lahore and play my part in the safe and gradual resumption of international cricket in Pakistan,” Du Plessis said after his selection as the captain of the squad.
The fourteen member squad will see as many as five South Africans namely Hashim Amla, David Miller, Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir apart from skipper Du Plessis. The team will feature three Australians in the form of George Bailey, wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Paine, and Ben Cutting. Darren Sammy and Samuel Badree also made into the squad from West Indies. There is one player each from England, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka namely, Paul Collingwood, Luke Ronchi, Tamim Iqbal and Thisara Perera respectively. Zimbabwean legend Andy flower was selected as the head coach of the team. India was the only country who had no representation in the squad.
The captain further added, “In my career, I have featured in some very exciting matches against Pakistan but to play in Pakistan in front of its passionate supporters, will be a unique experience which I cannot wait to explain. As a player, I understand the importance of playing in front of home crowds and that is something I am sure that Pakistani players will relish.”
The chief of the Pakistan Cricket looked a satisfied person bringing international cricket back in Pakistan. While talking to media Sethi said,” From putting this World XI together to getting people on board, to pull in 1.2 billion dollars to put in place the requisite security plans for the security agents and officials to visit our country and assess the arrangements, all of this would not have been possible without the relentless support of Giles Clarke.”
“Now my next challenge is to host cricket in Karachi. I have received numerous calls asking for the same, from the governor, media, and so many others. That truly is my next objective. As of date, the foreign players and the security experts are not ready for it. We will look to take PSL to Karachi, once which is staged successfully, the roads to more cricket there would open up,” Sethi concluded.
Squad- Faf du Plessis (C), Hashim Amla, Samuel Badree, George Bailey, Paul Collingwood, Ben Cutting, Grant Elliott, Tamim Iqbal, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Tim Paine, Thisara Perera, Imran Tahir, Darren Sammy