RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s cricket team, the Green Shirts, has become the third team in the world to play 1,000 One-Day International (ODI) matches. The other two teams to achieve this milestone are Australia and India.
At the start of today’s 1,001st ODI against Australia in Rawalpindi, Australian captain Josh Inglis presented a commemorative souvenir to Pakistan’s captain Shaheen Afridi. Regardless of today’s match result, Pakistan has marked another milestone in international cricket.
Pakistan’s journey to this milestone has not been easy. Following the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, Pakistan was unable to host foreign teams for many years. Some elements attempted to isolate Pakistan from international cricket, but the Green Shirts remained focused on the game, while the Pakistan Cricket Board worked tirelessly to reintegrate the country into the international arena.
Speaking before the start of the match, Shaheen Afridi said, “I am proud to represent Pakistan.”
With this achievement, Pakistan joins the elite list of teams to have played 1,000 ODIs, cementing its place in cricket history.
