Azam's 86 fires Pakistan to 1-0 lead

On March 3, 2009, 12 gunmen launched a deadly attack on the touring Sri Lankan team near the Gaddafi stadium, Lahore, resulting in injuries to Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paravitarana. The attack left unimaginable scars on the minds of the Sri Lankan cricketers. It also led to Pakistan being [largely] deprived of playing cricket in their homeland due to security reasons.

But there was always hope that that one day thousands of cricket fans across Pakistan could cheer their heroes in stadium. Hope is a gift that could take you through the caverns of darkness into the land of light. And for Pakistan's fans that everlasting hope of witnessing their cricketing heroes bore fruit when Peshawar Zalmi took on Quetta Gladiators in the PSL final in Lahore in March this year. Six months later, the Faf du Plessis-led