It is reported that many players of the Sri Lankan team currently on a tour of Pakistan have been informed that they want to return to the island.
This is due to the bomb blast that took place in the capital Islamabad shortly before the start of the first ODI held in Rawalpindi yesterday, throwing the security of the tournament into crisis.
The distance between these two cities is less than 20 kilometers. Foreign media reported that 12 people were killed in the bomb attack.
Pakistan recorded a sharp victory in the match held yesterday, opening the 3-match ODI series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and the second match of this series is scheduled to be held tomorrow (13).
After the ODI series, a tri-series Twenty20 between Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Zimbabwe is also scheduled to be held.
However, it is reported that the Sri Lankan players have expressed their unwillingness to participate in the upcoming matches of the Pakistan series due to the bomb blast. “Ada Derana” has reported that the Sri Lankan team did not participate in the training session planned for tomorrow’s match today.
Accordingly, “Ada Derana” has further reported that tomorrow’s match is also uncertain at this time.
It is reported that the Sri Lankan Cricket Board is focusing on sending a new team to Pakistan instead of the Sri Lankan players who return to the island, and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board has threatened to impose a 2-year cricket ban on the returning players.
However, since the main players of the Sri Lankan team are participating in this tour, it is doubtful whether such a ban will be imposed on them.
Meanwhile, foreign media have reported that the authorities in that country have taken steps to tighten the security provided to the Sri Lankan cricket team following the bomb blast.
A discussion was held today between the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and government authorities, and the High Commissioner was assured that the Sri Lankan players were treated as “state guests” and provided with the necessary tight security. In 2009, a terrorist attack was also carried out in Pakistan targeting the Sri Lankan cricket team. As a result, it was not possible to hold international matches in Pakistan for many years.
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