When Australian cricket fan Luke Gillian last visited Pakistan in 1998, home supporters threw stones at him when he went out in public.
Now, everyone wants a selfie.
Gillian is back in Pakistan with a small troupe of Australian super fans, dubbed the "Fanatics", on their first tour of Pakistan in nearly a quarter of a century — and has been blown away by the welcome they have received.
Luke GIllian says in Rawalpindi, 500 photographs were taken of him every day | Photo: AFP
Australia for 24 years, along with many international teams, declined to tour Pakistan on security grounds.
"It was perceived to be too dangerous to go outside," Gillian told AFP of his visit on Australia's last tour in 1998.
"When I did get outside there were large groups of people walking in the streets and I had rocks thrown at me."
Nearly a quarter of a century later, attitudes have changed.
Back in Pakistan after 1998 | Photo: AFP
"I reckon, in Rawalpindi, 500 photographs were taken of me every day, easily," the 51-year-old from Victoria said.
"I have been given I don't know how many cups of tea, how many pieces of cake, bottles of Pepsi, water and just little incidentals people have given us as a 'thank you' — free haircuts, free laundry."
Over the years he has visited every major cricket-playing nation — even socialising with Australian greats such as Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Michael Clarke and Justin Langer.
