Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), in coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has managed to save its national team’s tour to Pakistan after it faced the risk of abandonment when eight players expressed their wish to return home over security concerns.
The unease followed Tuesday’s suicide bombing in Islamabad, which killed 12 and injured 27 people outside a court building.
High-level assurances from Pakistan
PCB chairman and Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, met Sri Lankan High Commissioner Rear Admiral (R) Fred Siriweera in Islamabad on Wednesday to personally assure him of foolproof security for the touring side.
Following the meeting, the PCB announced that the remaining ODIs in Rawalpindi had been rescheduled by a day each, now to be played on November 14 and 16.
SLC instructs team to stay on
In an official statement, SLC confirmed that the players had voiced concerns but said the matter was addressed promptly in consultation with Pakistan’s authorities.
Sri Lanka Cricket was informed by the team management this morning that several members of the national team currently touring Pakistan have requested to return home citing safety concerns
“Following the development, SLC immediately engaged with the players and assured them that all such concerns are being duly addressed in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board and the relevant authorities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every member of the touring party. In this context, SLC has instructed all players, support staff, and team management to continue with the tour as scheduled.”
SLC also made it clear that any player or member of the support staff who chooses to return home despite this directive will be replaced immediately, and their decision will be reviewed formally once the tour concludes.
Lingering concerns and past scars
Sources told Telecom Asia Sport that three Sri Lankan players and a foreign support staff member remain unconvinced and are still considering returning home.
Naqvi has reportedly invited the players’ families to travel to Pakistan and attend the matches in a bid to reassure the squad.
The issue carries painful echoes for Sri Lanka, whose team bus was attacked by gunmen near Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium in March 2009. Six players were wounded and eight policemen killed in that incident, which led to international cricket’s suspension in Pakistan for nearly a decade.
Series continues under tight security
The PCB confirmed that security around the visiting team had been further tightened after Tuesday’s attack.
Despite the tensions, the opening ODI went ahead as scheduled on Tuesday, with Pakistan defeating Sri Lanka by six runs in Rawalpindi. PCB sources maintained that the remaining matches in Rawalpindi will proceed as planned, under enhanced security protocols.
