The arrival of international players as part of the various teams contesting at the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Dubai and later in Karachi was a momentous occasion for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistan. International teams were reluctant to visit Pakistan ever since terrorist activities made the country a no-go area for cricketers and tourists.
When talking about international tours, England visited Pakistan in 2000, 2005, New Zealand (2000, 2002, 2003), West Indies (2000, 2006), Australia (2002), Bangladesh (2003), India (2003, 2005), South Africa (2003, 2007), Sri Lanka (2004, 2008) and Zimbabwe in 2015. Zimbabwe’s tour to Pakistan in 2015 was the first by an international team to Pakistan ever since the unfortunate terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team took place in March 2009 in Lahore.
Now that the PSL was held without any hiccups in Karachi, the PCB can consider hosting an international team and scheduling a series of ODI, Test and T20 matches to revive cricket in Pakistan once and for all. However, certain steps must be taken care of if this dream must be realized. First, the PCB needs to ensure international matches are played in the key metropolis of Pakistan including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad and even in Hyderabad. The PCB must invest in the development, repair and renovation of the cricket stadiums of these cities. This will not only make Pakistan a cricket friendly country but will create revenue for these cities as any infrastructural development project creates jobs. To uplift these cricket stadiums, the PCB can hire and then train a specific number of workers, masons, engineers and builders who can then construct and repair cricket stadiums in each city. This will reduce the cost of hiring new workers for each city. Moreover, when one set of workers and engineers will build one stadium, they will replicate the infrastructural dynamics for all stadiums hence reducing the costs to a greater extent.
The PCB must pursue a promotional strategy through print, electronic and digital media for the international teams and players to voice their positive and constructive opinion of Pakistan to the world
Secondly, PCB in collaboration with Pakistan’s tourism department can schedule tours, taking international cricketers around the historic and scenic parts of the cities where matches are to be held. We know how much media and social media buzz was created when Darren Sammy visited parts of Karachi during the 2019 edition of PSL. The same could be done for the international teams visiting Pakistan who can visit Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum, Burns Road, Sea View, shopping malls in Karachi; Badshahi Mosque, Shalimar Gardens, Lahore Museum, Food Street, Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore; Multan Art Gallery, Chenab River Bank, Fort Kohna, Hussain Agahi Bazaar, Clock Tower in Multan; Gatwala Wildlife Park, Allama Iqbal Public LIbrary, Jinnah Gardens in Faisalabad; Ayub National Park, Nila Sand, PirSohawa in Rawalpindi and others places. This will create a cultural exchange of Pakistan’s history and heritage across the world and the international cricketers can become the ambassadors of goodwill for Pakistan in their own country.
Thirdly, the PCB must pursue a promotional strategy through print, electronic and digital media for the international teams and players to voice their positive and constructive opinion of Pakistan to the world. These messages in the form of talk shows, interviews, documentaries, videos can be prepared through collaboration and with assistance and support from advertising agencies, digital media agencies, print publications, television channels, radio stations and public relation agencies.
Previously, Pakistan and the PCB hosted international teams for the purpose of playing cricket. Now, the strategy must differ. International players must now integrate themselves with the social and cultural fabric of Pakistan and that is only possible when their words and activities are portrayed to the nation through print and electronic media. The world has now become a typical global village and it takes less than 4 hours for news to be seen by almost all Facebook users across the world. Using social media as the primary platform for content dissemination, the PCB can utilize its resources and the creative insights of advertising and marketing professionals to blend cricket and cricketers with the nation which will bolster the link Pakistan has with cricket.
The writer is an independent researcher, author and columnist