Pakistan's Saud Shakeel made his international debut against England in Cardiff in the first match of the three-match ODI series. Although it wasn't a memorable debut by any stretch of the imagination for Shakeel with his team getting humbled by a second-string English side by nine wickets and him getting out in single digits, but debuts are something no player forgets.
But the 25-year-old Shakeel was given such a memorable gift by PCB ahead of the start of the first game for him, that he would remember it forever. In a rare moment of emotional appeal, the PCB made a video of Shakeel calling his mother back home and telling her about his imminent debut.
The reaction of the mother is priceless and might just wet a few emotional eyes with pride and happiness oozing out of her voice. In Punjabi mixed Urdu, she gives her blessings to Shakeel saying that she is praying for his success. She even asks one of the persons in the house to call her husband and let Shakeel seek his father's blessings as well.
As the call ends, even Shakeel has moist eyes, most probably with tears of joy as he said, "It is the most memorable day of my career so far and I would like to enjoy it."
The Karachi born was given his debut cap by Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.