Lahore Fort welcomes England, Sri Lanka teams for PCB-hosted cultural reception

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hosted a cultural reception on Wednesday evening for the current and former national players as well as England and Sri Lanka team members at the historic Lahore Fort, offering the visiting sides a glimpse of the city’s rich heritage.

The event was hosted by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi at the 17th-century Mughal citadel, also known as Shahi Qila, in the walled city of Lahore. The reception was held on the sidelines of the ongoing ODI tri-nation series, with the final scheduled to take place between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Lahore on Saturday.

The three captains, Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi, England’s Harry Brook and Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis, were present along with their teammates, including Babar Azam and Joe Root.

The guests were welcomed by Naqvi at the fort’s Alamgiri Gate and then he led them through the complex. Guards in Mughal-era costume stood in formation at Diwan-e-Khas to greet the visitors. The tour continued through Diwan-e-Aam, the mirrored Sheesh Mahal and the Barood Khana, where the history and architecture of each site were explained by the guides. The delegations also visited the neighbouring Badshahi Mosque, the mausoleum of Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Hazuri Bagh.

A lively performance by dancers drew loud applause from the visiting players, many of whom also tried a ride in a brightly painted rickshaw. The event concluded with a dinner hosted by Naqvi in honour of the three teams, adding a royal finish to a programme built around the fort’s Mughal heritage.

Lahore, Pakistan’s cultural capital, was a key centre of Mughal rule. Lahore Fort was largely rebuilt under Emperor Akbar in the 1560s, with later additions by Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, including Sheesh Mahal and Alamgiri Gate.

The seven-match tri-series, held from October 18 to 31 in Rawalpindi and Lahore, features Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka as they prepare for next year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

Before the series, Pakistan had won 96 of 160 ODIs against Sri Lanka and 32 of 92 against England, who entered the tournament after three consecutive ODI series victories.

Pakistan began the tri-series with wins over Sri Lanka and England before Shadab Khan’s unbeaten century guided them to a one-wicket victory over England again on October 25, securing a place in the final. Sri Lanka joined them after an eight-wicket win over Pakistan on October 27, while England were eliminated after losing all three matches. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will face off in the final at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on October 31 at 1pm.