HARARE: Zimbabwe cricket officials said Tuesday they were vindicated after the national team returned from a high-security tour of Pakistan.

“We went to Pakistan, we are back and we are safe,” Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wilson Manase told reporters in Harare.

“Nothing happened to say our lives were threatened. Our team was never in any danger. We are vindicated.”

There were doubts whether the five-match tour would go ahead after the massacre of 45 people in an early May terror attack on a bus in Karachi.

It was the first visit by a Test-level team since seven Sri Lankan cricketers were wounded during a 2009 attack by militants in Lahore.

Following the attack, teams refused to tour Pakistan, who were forced to stage ‘home’ series in the United Arab Emirates.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) did not send neutral umpires for the Zimbabwe series, citing security concerns, and Pakistani officials were used.

Pakistan won both Twenty20 internationals and two one-day internationals with the third abandoned due to rain.

The Zimbabwe cricketers arrived here in Harare on Monday evening, ending a two-week tour of Pakistan that attracted global headlines and charmed the hearts of millions of cricket-mad fans in the Asian nation who hailed the Zimbabweans as heroes.

The Zimbabwe players believe they have played their part in proving to the world that Pakistan is now ready for international cricket after a short series which ended at the weekend.

The Chevrons arrived home yesterday evening happy with the conditions in that country after featuring in two Twenty20 series and three One Day Internationals.

ZC communications manager Lovemore Banda said they were pleased with the reception they got from their hosts and the security measures put in place to ensure a safe and successful tour.

Banda said the tour was well-supported by the locals who had been starved of international cricket for years. Pakistan had not hosted international cricket against a Test nation since 2009 when the Sri Lanka national team was attacked by terrorists. “Everybody in the team, I think, enjoyed themselves. The crowds were fantastic. The welcome was very warm. The Pakistan people looked after us very well,” said Banda.

“The hashtag for the tour was #Cricketcomeshome# and Paki­stan went all out to ensure that indeed cricket came home.”

“All the five matches were well subscribed in terms of attendances. Full crowds all the time so it was a very successful tour on and off the field,” said Banda.

“And, of course, we did put up some commendable performances. The question going out to Pakistan was how the batting line up would cope without Brendan Taylor and I think that question has been answered.

“Later on in the tour it even became clear when the in-form batsman Elton Chigumbura was suspended but still the team held its own.”

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2015

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