Sri Lanka’s tour of Pakistan in jeopardy after warning of possible terrorist threat
Sri Lanka‘s tour of Pakistan is in doubt after the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Wednesday sought government’s assistance to reassess the security situation in Pakistan.
Ten Sri Lanka players – Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Thisara Perera, Akila Dhananjaya and Suranga Lakmal – on Monday decided to give the series, which includes three T20Is and three ODIs, a miss due to security reasons.
“Sri Lanka Cricket today sought the assistance of the Sri Lankan Government to conduct a ‘Reassessment’ of the security situation in Pakistan ahead of the National Team’s planned tour to Pakistan,” said SLC in a media release.
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“The decision was taken following a warning the SLC received from the Prime Minister’s Office, sent via the Ministry of Telecommunication, Foreign Employment and Sports,” added SLC.
While Karachi and Lahore host the ODI and T20I series respectively, Sri Lanka are scheduled to travel to Pakistan for a Test series that will be part of the World Test Championship.
“Accordingly, the warning highlights that the Prime Minister’s Office has received reliable information of a possible terrorist threat on the Sri Lankan team, while touring Pakistan,” said SLC.
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“Hence, SLC has been advised to take extreme care, and ‘reassess’ the situation, before embarking on the said tour,” concluded SLC.
Following ten Sri Lankan players opted out of the tour on Monday, Pakistan’s Science and Technology Minister Fawad Hussain Chaudhry on Tuesday claimed that India was responsible for the development.
“Informed sports commentators told me that India threatened SL players that they will be ousted from IPL if they don’t refuse Pak visit, this is really cheap tactic, jingoism from sports to space is something we must condemn, really cheap on the part of Indian sports authorities,” Chaudhry had tweeted.