Many high-profile international players like Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright and Tymal Mills skipped the PSL final, which was held in Lahore, due to security concerns. However, foreign players who attended the match were warmly welcomed by the country.
West Indies’ cricketer Marlon Samuels who played for Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2 is so impressed with the security arrangements at the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) that he has expressed his desire to join the Pakistani Army.
In a video message posted on Twitter, Peshawar Zalmi star Marlon Samuels said he was “Pakistani at heart” and went as far ‘wishing to join the Pakistan army’.
“For me it’s more than just coming to Pakistan to a play a game of cricket, it is the significance and success of the team and smiles on the faces of the people that are sad,” he said in the video, tweeted by Peshawar Zalmi CEO Javed Afridi.
“I am a Pakistani at heart and that it is why it didn’t take me long to decide to come to Pakistan [to play the PSL final],” he added.
Addressing the Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Samuels said, “General, I’m just waiting for the metals [badges] on my shoulder, I would want to be a part of the Pakistan army.”
He praised the security measures at the recently concluded PSL final. And also thanked his Peshwar Zalmi teammates, saying that it was an honour and he couldn’t have asked for a better team. (q2stadium.com)
“Cricket should definitely come back to Pakistan I will continue to come back to this country till I die,” Samuels added.
@MarlonSamuels7 Salute from the Whole Nation for such a marvellous words. You are the campions of the hearts.Special message to the Army 1/2 pic.twitter.com/8ppPIqG9ml
— Javed Afridi (@JAfridi10) March 11, 2017