Kolkata: West Indian Marlon Samuels, who recently played in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final in Lahore, representing the Peshawar Zalmi (PZ) has expressed his desire to join the Pakistan Army. Army Chief Qamar Javid Bajwa recently met the victorious team PZ. In a video Samuel says his arrival in Pakistan was more than just visiting the country, adding playing the final in Lahore has brought happiness on the melancholy faces deprived of serious cricket for long. Samuels also says he is a Pakistani by heart and he adds, “That is why I do not feel any hesitation in coming to Pakistan.”
Samuels salutes the Pakistani Army chief, General Bajwa, for the security provided for the PSL final that was held at the Gaddafi Stadium on March 5. “I wouldn’t mind coming back to Pakistan if I get a metallic badge at my shoulder because in Jamaica I am a soldier and that’s why I wore my army suit to Pakistan,” Samuels says, addressing to the Army Chief. Samuels has also urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to bring back international cricket to Pakistan after Lahore successfully hosted the PSL final. “ICC, you need to look into cricket going back to Pakistan. Because there is so much Pakistanis waiting and would love to see a lot of cricketers in front of them,” Samuels says.
“Cricket should definitely come back to Pakistan now and I will continue to promote this until I die. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you Pakistan Army for the way they dealt with the things, security was top class, we couldn’t have asked for better security,” the West Indian all-rounder says.
Pakistan cricket fans have been deprived of international action since 2009, when terrorists attacked the visiting Sri Lankan team, in Lahore. Even the PSL final was marred by high-profile pull-outs after the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright and Tymal Mills refused to travel to the country.
(With inputs from NDTV)