Pakistan Hosts Its First Major Cricket Event in 29 Years, A Landmark Moment for the Country's Image

Pakistan is to host a major international cricket competition for the first time in almost 30 years, a landmark moment for the country. From Wednesday, the Champions Trophy will be staged in three cities—Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi—over two and a half weeks. This prestige event, last staged by Pakistan in 1996 with India and Sri Lanka, is a milestone for a country hitherto off-limits to world sporting activity due to security concerns. 

This return of international cricket is a massive morale pick-up for Pakistan's image, especially after a rollercoaster period marked by fatal violence and terrorism. Of late, however, the country has come a long way in bolstering security so that it would be a better contender to stage such a high-profile event. For Ramiz Raja, ex-Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), it was not a straightforward job to convince the world that Pakistan is safe and can host an international event. Raja, whose administration was responsible for having Pakistan awarded the hosting rights of the Champions Trophy in 2021, said that much work was needed to change world attitudes.

"Persuading the world that Pakistan is a safe country and can host an event of such scale took a lot of hard work and determination," Raja said. He pointed out that, in spite of the challenge, Pakistan had shown the world its readiness and capability to host mega-events once again.

But this success has not come without its setbacks. Perhaps the greatest of these has been the reluctance of arch-nemesis India to play in Pakistan. Due to entrenched political tensions, India chose to have its matches played in Dubai, while the remaining seven teams competing will stay in Pakistan. This has been a setback, but still the tournament is being hailed as a success for the world of cricket in Pakistan.

Pakistan has gone out of its way to ensure the security of the players, officials, and fans. The host cities are extremely secure with added security measures in place to prevent any potential disturbances. While attacks in the big cities have become rare, the security situation remains a concern in the border regions of the country. But the fact that recent world summits such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and a world summit for girls' education have been held in Pakistan is a sign of the increasing stability of the country.

This saga of struggle on the part of Pakistan's cricket team gives this match a heavy emotional undertone. For one Haji Abdul Razzak, a businessman, the restoration of an international match is a day of much pride. Razzak was present at the 1996 tournament when Sri Lanka had beaten Australia in the final. He recalls waving the Sri Lankan flag at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, which is a memory that is etched in his mind till date. Now, nearly three decades later, he's all set to watch the first match of the Champions Trophy between New Zealand and Pakistan.

"It is like my birthday," Razzak exclaimed, tears welling up in his eyes. "Pakistan was flourishing at that time, and cricket was the passion of everyone's life. Terrorism took everything away from us, but now it has come back, and I couldn't be happier."

Despite constant dangers posed by the militants, most of the violence is confined to remote border areas away from locations of the tournament. This provides a conducive environment for the tournament to be staged in Pakistan because the major cities, where the tournament will take place, are safe.

The country has also demonstrated its readiness by hosting smaller-scale tournaments like the recent tri-series between South Africa and New Zealand. These matches saw massive attendances at revamped stadiums in Lahore and Karachi, providing a glimpse of the excitement that this grand tournament will surely deliver.

Ramiz Raja also noted the importance of this Champions Trophy beyond cricket. "This event goes beyond sport," he said. It's all about national pride, staying power, and determination. It's all about engaging the youth, projecting culture, and redefining a global image for Pakistan." This event, he believes, will help to normalize Pakistan's position in the international cricket fraternity and assure the world that the country is ready to host and organize big international events once again.

As Pakistan welcomes the world back to international cricket, the world will be watching. Success or failure at this tournament will be the determining factor in the country's future as a host to world events. For the time being, Pakistan can be proud of the achievement it has made, and the international cricket fraternity can look forward to seeing a great event that represents resilience and hope for the future.