Rizwan urges Pakistan to enjoy Champions Trophy

KARACHI, FEB 18: Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan said on Tuesday the Champions Trophy would be a "historic occasion" for the country, a day before the hosts kick the tournament off against New Zealand.

The Champions Trophy is the first major cricket event hosted by Pakistan in nearly three decades and is regarded as second only to the World Cup in the one-day game.

"A global event has come to Pakistan after 29 years so I think the whole nation should enjoy this historic occasion," Rizwan told a news conference, which runs until March 9. Pakistan had been due to host the tournament in 2008 but was thrown into cricketing isolation by a security crisis as violence spilled over from the long-running war in neighbouring Afghanistan. —AFP