One of the biggest news that has come from the world of cricket is that Pakistan is ready to host a match of international stature once again. They had not been able to host a match for a long time because of the whole Sri Lankan bus shooting incident but it looks like things are getting better.
The ICC announced a world XI to travel to the nation and play a match. Here are 5 retired players who will be playing and who could make a big difference to the squad:
Grant Elliott:
The New Zealander is one of those players who retired only recently, so he still has a certain level of fitness that is expected from an international player. He did have a relatively short career with the Kiwis, so he might be looking to give it his all in the series.
Elliott has been playing cricket in England for the T20 league and will be looking to perform in the T20 tournament at Lahore.
Paul Collingwood:
The Englishman is another player who was known to have a good record for his country. He was an excellent fielder and even at the age of 41, he is still fit as ever. Collingwood will be looking to put in a good performance.
He has kept himself fit by playing county cricket and fans will be eager to watch him perform and fly all across the field.
Darren Sammy:
The former West Indies captain was the first player from the island of St.Lucia to represent the Island nations internationally. Sammy was an incredible asset, especially in limited overs cricket and has shown that he has the power to perform when called upon.
The all-rounder last played in the World T20 in 2016 which the Windies won, but has kept himself fit by playing in the T20 leagues all across the world.
Samuel Badree:
The West Indian is another big draw in the international arena and will be looking to perform to the fullest when called upon. He has the experience to pick up wickets in the shortest format, having proved his skill for West Indies and the other T20 leagues.
Badree is a great spin option to have for the World XI and he will prove to be a valuable addition in the turning Pakistani tracks. Samuel Badree retired from first class cricket in 2009 and retired from List A cricket as well in 2013, in order to focus on his T20 career.
Thisara Perera:
One of the most explosive lower order batsmen to play for the Lankans, Perera is another big name at various T20 auctions around the world. He will bring that extra bite and power to the World XI team.
He can also bowl well and contribute whenever required with the ball. It will be interesting to see the role that he plays in the tournament. In 2016, Thisara Perera announced his retirement from Test cricket.
By Rohit Nair
