Slowly but surely cricket will go back to Pakistan, feels Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara, who was a victim of the terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus back in 2009, could return to Pakistan as the MCC president after a decade. He appreciated Pakistan’s exceptional effort to make their country safe and feels that cricket will return to the country in no time.
Incumbent MCC president and former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara could return to Pakistan, the country where he was caught in a horrific terrorist attack on their team bus, more than a decade after the incident. The attack subsequently meant that the ICC barred Pakistan from hosting international cricket and it wasn't until the last few years that teams - World XI, Zimbabwe, West Indies and now most recently Sri Lanka - have started touring the country.
But despite all the voodoo surrounding the nation, Sangakkara assured that should an opportunity arise for him to go back to the country, he would do so without second thoughts.
"Yes, if the opportunity arises and the tour definitely goes ahead I would be part of it for sure," Sangakkara told ESPNcricinfo.
The attack resulted in what seemed like an end of international cricket in the country forever but it was Zimbabwe who dared to break the drought as they toured the country in 2015. After that, both World XI and West Indies played a T20 series each in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
The Sri Lankan team recently returned from Pakistan after playing six international games in the country, which was also the longest tour by any team in over a decade. Sangakkara heaped praise on the steps taken by Pakistan to ensure safety for the players and also hinted at an MCC team potentially touring the country. The former Lankan skipper is also confident that cricket will slowly but surely return to Pakistan.
"It's great to see Sri Lanka tour Pakistan and the feedback that it was such a great tour, it was lovely, the players really enjoyed it. The security was very, very tight and they provided every single facility for the Sri Lanka team. The MCC has been discussing an MCC tour to Pakistan as well, Wasim Khan [PCB CEO] has been with us in many presentations at the World Cricket Committee and presenting us with various plans in terms of security and otherwise as to how that tour can go ahead.
"So there is a lot of positive chat and conversation around it and if they can manage that, that will be exceptional. I mean Pakistan is doing a huge amount of work to ensure that it is a safe place for countries to tour. I'm sure slowly but surely cricket will go back to Pakistan and players from Pak will be able to play in front of their home crowd," the wicketkeeper-batsman signed off.
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