ICC to send World XI T20 squad to tour Pakistan in September

“Sammy was captain but he is not a big player”, Imran later said on the local TV network Geo News.

The Independence Cup, named to honour Pakistan’s 70th anniversary of liberation from Indian rule, would be the first global cricket event to be played in the Asian country since 2009, aside from a one-day series with Zimbabwe two years ago.

Jordan chose to represent his Peshawar Zalmi franchise in Sunday’s showpiece against the advice of the Professional Cricketers’ Association and its worldwide equivalent FICA, after both cautioned players not to participate due to concerns over security.

Citing security fears, some high-profile foreign players such as former England captain Kevin Pietersen, who plays for the Quetta team, chose to skip the final.

Sammy had earlier told AFP he had felt safe playing in Pakistan.

Sammy, who captained Peshawar Zalmi to a 58-run win in the final, spoke in glowing terms about the experience. “It’s like a brotherhood”.

Holding the final in Pakistan has drawn criticism from some quarters, after a series of militant attacks in February left 130 people dead, including a Lahore suicide blast that martyred 14.

Asked whether global cricket should now return, Sammy replied: “It’s not in my jurisdiction”.

He added: “What I can tell you is I’ve been here and it’s felt like playing in St Lucia, felt like playing in India, felt like playing anywhere else in the world and like I said at the toss … cricket was the victor”. The fans are just as passionate.

“It´s a step in the right direction only time will tell”.

The army, paramilitary Rangers and Punjab police will secure the area and players will travel in bullet-proof buses, in what officials say are unheard-of levels of security. Six players were hurt while two civilians and six security officials were killed in that attack. But he said he would be happy to return “with the same set-up”. He said the match would be remembered as a souvenir even in the coming years. “The crowd in Lahore were brilliant – they really made the final”. “3am to 3am. It was more or less in and out”.

“There’s always risk if you’re playing in Pakistan. No time (to celebrate)”.

Meanwhile, the PCB is trying to talk with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Sammy, his fellow West Indian Marlon Samuels and England’s Chris Jordan were presented with Pakistani army caps as they walked around the stadium before the toss.