Sri Lanka cricket team returns to Pakistan 8 years after it was attacked

Even Pakistan's prime minister did not believe it could happen but when Sri Lanka visit the eastern city of Lahore on Sunday for a T20 match, the hosts will celebrate the end of eight years of isolation from international cricket.

Less than a year ago, none of this appeared possible for a nation that had largely been shunned by international teams since 2009 due to security risks.

That year gunmen attacked a bus carrying the Sri Lanka team from their hotel to Lahore's Gaddafi stadium for a test match, injuring six players and killing six security personnel and two civilians.

The incident forced Pakistan to play their home matches in the United Arab Emirates and the country has since remained starved of international cricket at home, apart from Zimbabwe's limited-overs tour in 2015.

TRT World's Mark Gay reports.

Last year, the inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL), based on the franchise model of the Indian Premier League and Australia's Big Bash League, became a success though all the matches were played in the UAE.

Things changed in March this year when Pakistan hosted the final of its domestic T20 competition featuring high-profile international players.

"Even that baby step seemed an impossibility. I can tell you that none of the franchises wanted it, they were scared ... the government was scared...the players were scared," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi told Reuters in an interview.

The match proved pivotal in changing the global cricket community's opinion of Pakistan's ability to host international matches and garnered support from cricket's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The months leading up to the final were filled with endless negotiations with the government, persuading domestic franchise owners and convincing players that security was under control.

"I had two meetings with the prime minister, I raised it with him, he heard me out, he didn't give me an opinion, he said we will think about it closer to the event," Sethi said.

As the match drew closer Sethi became desperate, sending then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif numerous requests "from various quarters" in the hope that he would make a favourable announcement.

Sharif's office did not respond to requests for comment.

Weeks before the final was to be played Sharif made the announcement that it could go ahead.

"I think he saw the wisdom of it and took the risk," said Sethi