The PCB on Monday once again reiterated that Sri Lanka would visit Lahore for the lone T20 international scheduled October 29 at the Gaddafi stadium. PCB Chief, Najam Sethi told the media that the match was on even though the Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) was due to meet in the next 24 hours to deliberate upon the issue.
A letter has been signed by 40 Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) contracted players, including most in the current squad, to president Thilanga Sumathipala, expressing unwillingness to travel to Pakistan, which has been a hotbed of terrorist attacks.
READ: Sri Lanka refuses to play in Pakistan
The players have said they remain uncomfortable about travelling to Lahore for the last match of the ongoing series between the two countries in the UAE. The Sri Lankan team had come under attack from terrorists in March, 2009 in Lahore, in which six Pakistani policemen were killed. That attack led to international teams refusing to tour Pakistan citing security concerns.
The PCB made a breakthrough of sorts this year when it first hosted the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final in Lahore in March and in September a second string World XI toured Lahore for three T20 matches backed by the International Cricket Council and FICA.
READ: What the Pakistan captain says about the Lahore T20
Sethi said that the visit by Sri Lankan team to Lahore for the lone match was planned and agreed upon in a meeting in which officials of the two boards and ICC were present. “We are expecting to host the Sri Lankan team after the top security provided to the World eleven side which were appreciated PCB Chairman was asked that will Sri at the recent ICC meetings in Auckland,” he said.
Sethi said PCB’s endeavour was to keep on improving the security arrangements based on regular feedback from ICC and FICA approved security experts.
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