Return of top teams for Champions Trophy means a lot to Pakistan: Wasim

Former captain Wasim Bari is glad to see the return of a global cricketing event to Pakistan through the ICC Champions Trophy, and hopes that the nightmarish days after the militant attack on Sri Lankan team in 2009 are forgotten forever.

Pakistan could not host international cricket for 10 years after that gruesome day, and were forced to play their home matches in the UAE.

Bari was serving as the Director in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) under the Chairmanship of late Ejaz Butt when the attack took place on March 3 near the Liberty roundabout close to the Gaddafi stadium.

It was the worst day in my life when news came through of what had happened. Everyone was numb and most of us in our offices realised immediately this was going to put Pakistan cricket back by a few years, Bari said. 

Bari said there was disbelief followed by sorrow the governments of both the nations and the ICC got involved, and later a chartered flight was arranged to send the Lankan team back home.

Six policemen and two others were killed in the attack and several were injured including Pakistani umpire Ahsan Raza, who later had to undergo a life-saving operation.

Bari recalled that when pictures of the bullet-ridden bus and vans carrying the match officials and umpires in blood stained shirts went viral, it became obvious that Pakistan's hopes of staging the Champions Trophy or even the 2011 World Cup matches had vanished.

Without putting blame on anyone, Bari said: It should never have happened and the result was Pakistan cricket couldn't properly grow for the next 10 years, as all teams refused to play in Pakistan for security reasons.

Bari said he is delighted to see the ICC Champions Trophy being held in Pakistan now and multiple teams landing in the country.

To see England, Australian, South African, New Zealand and Afghanistan teams in Karachi and Lahore means so much to all Pakistani cricketers, board officials and the fans, he said.

The 75-year-old said it was a tribute to the singleminded effort of all the stakeholders involved in Pakistan cricket.

I think it is also a time to pay tribute to the resilience of Pakistan cricket while hosting the Champions Trophy, after all that has happened in the last 10 years.

Bari said Pakistan have some very good players, who are capable of helping the team defend the Champions Trophy title.