Pakistan XI to play UK Media XI in Miranshah

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is trying everything within their possibility to make amends and revive cricket in the country. Only recently, Pakistan hosted the World XI series, which comprised of three T20Is. Named as the Independence Cup, the series played an important role in popularizing the sport back in Pakistan. The Mickey Arthur coached Pakistan won the coveted title defeating the World XI squad 2-1.

Now, following the success of the World XI series, the subcontinent country is set to host a cricket match between Pakistan XI and UK Media XI in Miranshah, a town in the North Waziristan Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, on September 21. The event has been named as the ‘Peace Cup 2017.’

The UK squad comprises an 18-member group of journalists, lawyers, businessmen and academics aged between 21-62, who are currently touring Pakistan with the aim to improve the country’s image as a sporting nation. Of the 18 members of the squad, 14 are players, one is an umpire while the rest, including two women, are the organizers.

The news was confirmed by DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor who took to Twitter to provide the update. The match will be telecast live from Miranshah.

The caption read, “Cricket in NWA. Pak XI plays UK Media XI on 21 Sep 17. Live telecast from Miranshah. Peace & prosperity is our destiny #PeacefulPakistan.”

Here is the Tweet

Cricket in NWA. Pak XI plays UK Media XI on 21 Sep 17. Live telecast from Miranshah. Peace & prosperity is our destiny. #PeacefulPakistan?? pic.twitter.com/inPVojxaYw

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) September 20, 2017

International cricket in Pakistan came to a standstill after anti-socials attacked a bus carrying Sri Lanka cricketers to the Gaddafi Stadium, in March 2009. Several international teams subsequently refused to tour the country thereafter and Pakistan had to shift their base to the UAE and have been playing all their home cricket matches there for the past eight years.

Following the incident, Zimbabwe toured the country in 2015 but was struck with a similar fate as they were left scarred by a bomb blast merely 800 meters from the Gaddafi Stadium.