Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed said that he hopes international cricket can return to the country soon. Sarfraz, in a statement that he made before interacting with the media in a post-match press conference stated that he hopes that the win will be a boost to cricket in the country and that “all playing nations” come to Pakistan once again.
“It is sad that we have not been playing at home for eight years,” said Sarfraz. International cricket has been absent from the country for nearly a decade since the 2009 attack on the touring Sri Lankan team in Lahore. Pakistan went on to win the 2009 T20I World Cup in England two months later. On Sunday, they won their first ODI title in 25 years by trouncing India in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. The win comes at a time when Pakistan has been at loggerheads with India over bilateral series that were suppsedly to be played between the two nations.
India and Pakistan last played a bilateral series when the latter toured India for a three ODI’s and two T20Is in 2012/13. Bilateral cricket ties have since been on freeze mode with the deteriorating relations between the two countries.
India came into the match as favourites to win the title but ended being second-best to Pakistan in almost every department of the game. Pakistan set India a target of 339 to chase. But Mohammad Amir tore into the mighty Indian top order and the defending champions found themselves all out for a paltry 158 in the 30th over.
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