Preppy Sports: Pakistan Braces for First International Cricket Match Since 2009

Somehow, cricket looks less English when it leaves England. (Did that make enough obvious sense to you?)

The sport we normally associate with fast-talking Britons and neatly ironed slacks is currently undergoing a facelift in Pakistan. On Saturday, the country hosted its first international match since 2009, when a Sri Lankan team was attacked.

The crowd was a sell-out, 32,000 strong. That makes it approximately 0.0000007235% of the Pakistani population. (*Not an accurate figure.)

“The unofficial match… is seen as a small step towards reviving international cricket in Pakistan,” wrote Dawn.com. “The attacks in March, 2009, which left eight people dead and seven Sri Lankan players wounded, forced foreign teams to shun tours to Pakistan over security fears.

“A top-level security plan was devised for the match with around 5,000 policemen in and around the stadium” said a police official. Rather, assured a police official. “The sweeping of the entire stadium was done 24 hours before the start of the match to eliminate the likelihood of any explosive substance or devices planted by the saboteurs.”

Props to Pakistan.