Daily Times

LAHORE: Ten Pakistan cricketers returned home to a heroic and warm welcome on Tuesday in four different cities as hundreds of fans thronged the airports, and gathered outside their residences, to celebrate the ICC Champions Trophy triumph. Hundreds of fans stayed up late to welcome home members of the national cricket team returning after their historic win against arch-rivals India at London’s Oval Ground on Sunday (June 18). Pakistan stunned the cricketing world when they crushed favourites India by 180 runs in the final. Crowds had gathered at airports in Karachi and Lahore early Tuesday morning, eagerly awaiting the return of the champions. While five of the squad – Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and Azhar Ali – stayed back in England, the Player of the Series Hasan Ali stepped out of the Lahore airport and into a red-carpet ceremony arranged by the Punjab government. The 23-year old fast bowler was accompanied by Babar Azam, No. 5 in the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen, allrounder Faheem Ashraf and opener Ahmad Shahzad. Shadab Khan, the 18-year old legspinner, and Imad Wasim, the left-arm-spinning allrounder, landed in Islamabad before dispersing to their homes in Rawalpindi. Batsman Haris Sohail, who did not get a game in the Champions Trophy, returned to Sialkot.

Fans decorated the entire street and house of captain Sarfaraz Ahmad who arrived with fast bowler Ruman Raees at 4:45 am with the trophy that Pakistan had won for the first time. Some even climbed on rooftops and balconies to watch the captain return home. They had waited through the night to welcome their hero, with some carrying children on their shoulders to get a glimpse of the winning captain. Fans had also brought a special 70-foot long national flag and carried it in the street as Sarfraz drove home in a special convoy provided by the provincial government. Both cricketers were presented with traditional Sindhi shawls and caps at the lounge as fans, and airport officials didn’t miss an opportunity to take selfies with their heroes. Sarfaraz held up the trophy to loud cheers and chants of “Long live Sarfaraz!” as a police band played patriotic songs nearby.

We won thanks to Allah and the prayers of the whole nation,” Sarfraz said in brief comments as he jostled his way through the crowd of well-wishers. It took Sarfraz nearly half an hour to enter his house once his car drove into the street as fans clamoured for photos and a glimpse of their national team captain and police tried to clear the way. Sarfraz waved the trophy from the balcony of his house as he was showered with rose petals, much to the delight of his fans who were chanting “Pakistan Zindabad.” “This is your trophy and we won it just because of you,” he said. Raees said he didn’t sleep for two days because of all the excitement following the win. “I dedicate the win to the whole nation and we enjoyed the victory a lot, congratulations to the whole country,” Raees said. Mayor of Karachi Waseem Akhtar, Governor of Sindh Muhammad Zubair and Sindh Sports Minister Bux Mahar had also turned up to greet the captain at the airport before he was whisked away under escort by police commandos. Provincial Governor Mohammad Zubair said he was proud of “son of Sindh” and hoped the victory would ignite more energy into youngsters playing the sport.

Fakhar Zaman, who smashed his maiden ODI hundred to be named Player of the Final, was met by his family in Peshawar. He will travel with them to his hometown of Katlang in Mardan. Having hit 50, 57 and 114 in back-to-back knockout matches, he dedicated his success to the Pakistan Navy, who had trained him to become a sailor before he switched careers. “This one is bigger than anything else for the nation,” he said at his residence. “I am feeling really proud of the way we played. We went as the No. 8 team in the world but at the end we won the trophy and I think for Eid this is biggest gift for Pakistan. I want to thank the media and all the supporters who came here to support me.”

Zaman was caught behind in the fourth over for only three runs, but it was off a no-ball. When asked about the incident, he said: “Actually I had a very good record in domestic cricket, especially in the bigger games so I wanted to have a hundred in the final. I felt really bad when I got out but then the umpire held me back and told me they were checking for a no-ball. I started praying for it to be a no-ball and it was. So then I re-gathered myself and never looked back. At the end, my hundred worked and we won the game.”

Published in Daily Times, June 21st, 2017.