Twenty20 series: World XI arrive in Pakistan amid tight security

Karachi, September 11 : In what could be the beginning of international cricket resuming in strife-torn Pakistan, a World Eleven side landed in Lahore in the wee hours of Monday for a Twenty20 series against the hosts.
An unprecedented security greeting the side, to be led by South African captain Faf du Plessis, at the Allama Iqbal International airport.
Soon after landing in Lahore, the World Eleven players and officials were taken to a five-star hotel on the main Mall road which was closed for traffic from all sides.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and International Cricket Council (ICC) had announced earlier there would be no media interaction at the airport.
The high security cover, including paramilitary rangers and police commandos, is understandable as this is the first official visit by a team after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in March, 2009.Since that attack no top Test team has come to Pakistan due to security concerns and the ICC also refused to send any match referee and umpires for the limited overs series played by Zimbabwe in May, 2015 in Lahore.
But the World Eleven tour which is being seen by the PCB as a game changer to bring back international cricket to the country is not only supported by the ICC but the world governing body has also funded the visit of security experts to Lahore for the security arrangements.