Pakistan hosted the first of three T20 games against a touring World XI, winning by 20 runs in a packed stadium in the eastern city of Lahore. The home side rode on the back of a rapid-fire 86 by opener Babar Azam, raking up a formidable 197 before their bowlers held off a star-studded World XI batting line-up led by South African captain Faf du Plessis. "I saw international players for the first time in my life... "It's great to play in front of the Pakistan crowd," World XI captain du Plessis said after the match, showering praise on Pakistan's young players, many of whom were playing their first match at home in national colours. In March, calls for the return of international cricket picked up steam after the final of the domestic T20 Pakistan Super League, featuring high-profile foreign players such as West Indies World Cup winner Darren Sammy, was held in Lahore.

Source: Otago Daily Times September 12, 2017 20:26 UTC