International cricket hasn’t been played in Pakistan since 2009 when 12 gunmen attacked the team bus in which the Sri Lankan national team were traveling.

Faf du Plessis is the captain of the World XI side which will face Pakistan in a three-match series, while the other South Africans are Hashim Amla, Morné Morkel, and Imran Tahir.

Miller says it’s important for Pakistan to be able to play international cricket in their own country.

“If it kicks off really well it’s going to be a huge boost for world cricket and obviously for Pakistan to play in their own country is a massive occasion.

“The guys are really looking forward to this in what are the first steps in moving Pakistan cricket forward.”

Tahir was born in Pakistan and then went on to become a South African citizen, and for him the occasion was big enough to take his family along for the trip.

The skipper, Du Plessis, in his turn said that the security makes the whole deal feel like a scene from a movie.

“When this whole thing came about, you do think about those sorts of things, but as soon as we spoke to the people who were in control of the security, the planning, things were fine.

“The last 24 hours were exciting because the excitement of last night is not something we as players get to do normally, getting on a private jet, being chauffeured away from the plane, so we felt like we were in a movie.”

The series is comprised of three T20 Internationals, with the first match being played on Tuesday.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport