Sri Lanka say no to PCB invite for T20s
karachi — The Sri Lankan cricket board has turned down an invitation from the Pakistan Cricket Board to send its team to Lahore to play two T20 matches at the start of their home series in October.
PCB Chairman, Shaharyar Khan confirmed that after the suicide bomb attack in Lahore earlier this week, the Sri Lankan cricket authorities have refused to send their team for the T20 matches.
“I had spoken to my Sri Lankan cricket counterpart during the ICC meetings and I had invited him to send his team to Lahore to play the T20 matches and start the series against Pakistan with rest of matches to be played in the UAE,” Khan said.
He said he had been given assurance by the Sri Lankan cricket head that he would speak to his government and get clearance for the matches.
“I am a bit surprised at Sri Lankan’s refusal because terror attacks are happening everywhere in the world and sports events are still going on. It is unfair to just single out Pakistan for security reasons.”
Khan said the PCB had successfully held the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore in March and provided top security for the event.
“The ICC and other security experts of cricket boards had come to Lahore to see for themselves the security arrangements and some shortcomings were pointed out which we promised to resolve but overall they were all satisfied with the way security was provided for the final,” he said.
It was Sri Lanka’s team which had come under attack from militants in March, 2009 in Lahore after which no top Test team has toured Pakistan because of security concerns and the PCB has been forced to hold its home series in the UAE.
Khan said that Pakistan would now play two Tests in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and five one-day internationals and three T20 matches against Sri Lanka in October-November in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
The PCB chief also conceded that after the latest terror attack in Lahore there had been no word from Giles Clarke or ICC on the planned tour by the World eleven to Pakistan from September 12.— PTI