PSL 2019: Cricketers praise AB de Villiers over his decision to play in Pakistan

The fourth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL), one of the most popular T20 tournaments in Asia, will start on February 14 and one of the main attractions of the upcoming tournament will be former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers who has decided to play in the PSL for the first time. The dashing batsman has even decided to play in Pakistan towards the end and the call has earned him accolades from a number of cricketers from the Windies, England and AB’s home country.

The first half of the PSL games will be played in the UAE before it returns to Lahore and Karachi and the former South Africa captain has announced that he will feature for his team Lahore Qalandars in the two successive games in Lahore on March 9 and 10 after completing the initial matches in the Gulf. AB announced his decision to play in the PSL last year when he also decided to hang up his boots from international cricket, stunning a lot of fans.

Cricket returned to Pakistan in 2015 when Zimbabwe toured the nation after the horrific terror attacks targeting a touring Sri Lankan national side in 2009. The situation had turned so grim that the traumatised cricketers along with the officials were airlifted to safety from the middle of the ground in Lahore. Pakistan have not staged any significant international game since then for all countries have refused to visit them.

The side plays its home games in the UAE, though, a few games of the PSL started returning to their original home since last 2016 when the final was played in Lahore. Now, it is being believed that AB’s arrival in Pakistan will give the countries cricket-starved fans along with the game a major boost.

Darren Sammy, Duminy, Jordan laud AB

“I played in Lahore and Karachi in 2017 and 2018 and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The excitement and enthusiasm I saw in Lahore and Karachi was second to none and it just drives home the fact that this game is what it is because of these lovely fans,” former Windies captain Darren Sammy who is the captain of PSL side Peshawar Zalmi was quoted by Geo TV as saying.

“De Villiers is a champion cricketer and I am excited for the players who will get to experience playing in Lahore with him and for the thousands of crazy Pakistan cricket fans who, I am sure, will line-up in huge numbers to see AB play.”

JP Duminy, one of AB’s long-time colleague in the Proteas national side, said the latter would enjoy Lahore for the passion for the game has increased by far since South Africa last went to Pakistan in 2007. Duminy himself led Islamabad United to the title victory in Karachi in PSL 2018. England fast bowler Chris Jorda, who will play for Zalmi this year, backed AB over his decision as well.

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