Sports

Sri Lanka may pull out of Pakistan tour

The PCB has not received a positive response by the ICC for a go-ahead for the series.

Fawad Hussain March 26, 2011

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) efforts to convince teams to tour the country seemed to have received a setback following a discouraging response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) over Sri Lanka touring Pakistan later this year.

According to the ICC’s Future Tour Programme (FTP), Sri Lanka are due to tour in October but the board’s chairman DS de Silva threw the ball in the ICC’s court saying it will follow directives by the governing body on touring Pakistan.

However, the PCB, itching to get a positive response, has not received a positive response from the ICC yet.

“The ICC’s response on the matter is not encouraging,” a PCB official told The Express Tribune. “Although they haven’t given us a straight no, it’s officials seem reluctant to give their go-ahead for the series when we contacted them.”

Sri Lanka left midway through their last tour of Pakistan in March 2009 after an attack on their team bus left at least eight people dead while injuring several others, including players and team officials. In the aftermath, all tours to Pakistan were cancelled and the country was removed as co-hosts of the ongoing World Cup besides failing to earn rights to any major ICC event until 2015.

“The ICC is still not convinced about the security situation in Pakistan so it seems difficult that they’d give their approval. The PCB may then be forced to host the series at a neutral venue.”

The official, however, said the PCB will keep fingers crossed and will continue its effort to host the series.

“We haven’t given up and will keep on hoping and trying to convince them. We’ll also raise the matter in the ICC meeting next month.”

The PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, who is expected to leave for India before the World Cup semi-finals, will attend that meeting scheduled to start in Mumbai on the day of the final. The chairman will be accompanied by the board’s chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed in the meeting where they are also expected to meet their Indian counterparts for talks of a bilateral series.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (14)

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply @priorty: Please ask your friends if they class themselves as sri lankans or tamils !!! As the likelyhood is they are tamils, and don't knock the guy for puting his case forward!!! Its a well known fact that an act of one can easily be stereotyped as nature of community!!!! get real if you are in UK, love to know which city, because i have lived all my life in London, that is south london and can tell you that after the tube bombing in 2005, even carrying a backpack on tube, and being asian rose eyebrows in the carriages!!!!!!

A Silva | 13 years ago | Reply The ICC is infested with Indians. Big surprise. It is not possible for Indians to demonstrate fairness with respect to any issue concerning Pakistan. This is at least my personal experience interacting with the South Asian community in London. A Silva, Colombo.

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Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Srilanka is a friend, but them not visiting shouldn't upset us. At last PCB has found a job! convincing countries to come visit. P.s. Thank you Sri for visiting us before. What happened was unfortunate but we are ever so thankful that you did. Much respect.

Rizmy | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan needs cricket, no matter where ever you play, you can play in Sri Lanka , problem is slowed, every one is safe & happy. Cricket has to be played.

M. Tauseef Barlas | 13 years ago | Reply do u think our police will provide them security if they visit us again. if something happens again, bad reputation for Pakistan.

mano | 13 years ago | Reply I stand by Pakistan but not on the expence of our cricketers. They have hearts to tour when everybody pulls out. Some players even got shot. Once the security improves Karachchi will be a venue Till then I disagree totally of the SL touring Pakistan now

priorty | 13 years ago | Reply i think sheriff is not from Srilanka.. I have got several Srilankan friends here in the UK, they love Pakistanis. They come visit Lahore and Karachi several time. they are not scared of anything. They have been gone through with all of these things.. that nationa understand what pak is going through with.. Please do not call yourself Srilankan since you know you are not! you know where you belong to..

Sheriffdeen | 13 years ago | Reply AN when you do bad thing in your country that reflects in UK. if any things happen in USA/UK that will reflect in Pakistan. which means pakistani also treating. how come your terrorist attack bombay. First you admit pakistanies are mad in their country. they not normal person. World Muslims community behaviour judge by the behaviour of pakistani.Sri Lankan should not visit pakistan. when pakistan was totally isolated by international community it is sri lankan who visited your country, but you failed to keep your promises. because of pakistani terrorist , when the names are sound muslims we are branded as islamic terrorist by world media due to you.

AN | 13 years ago | Reply Situation is not good right now so we can't expect them to play in our country right now. @ Suresh We do realize that but the decision still lies with the board. @Sheriff If you have some issues in your country then how come we are responsible? If Sri Lanka mistreat its Muslims then it's not our fault.

Hansan | 13 years ago | Reply If we did not have Politics getting involved in cricket like good old day, No problem for sports. 3rd class politicians saw the money involved in it , So here they are.

Sheriff | 13 years ago | Reply I am as Sri Lankan Muslims do not like Sri Lankan team to visit pakistan since we can not trust pakistan army & Police and ISI. God forbid if any thing happen to Sri Lankan team while they are touring Pakistan, that consequence might fall on Sri Lankan Muslims. there fore please refrain from Visiting Pakistan. This is the time that pakistani should wake up & opened their eyes. behaviour of handfull of pakistani damaging the reputation of Pakistan. almost every day SRi lankan police catch criminal or smugglers ( smuggling heroin) when they land in Sri Lankan soil. Sri Lankan media will publish names of those people who got caught. incidentaly their names are muslims name thereby damaging muslims community reputation.

suresh de silva | 13 years ago | Reply Are you kidding me!!!! aftwr what happened to SL in is sri lanka cricket board crazy to even consider?? sorry pakistan this is nothing against you but its a no go place right now

Nazar Iqbal | 13 years ago | Reply It does not seem likely at the moment.May be some time in early future. We need to sort out our in house mess first.Let the security situation improve first than the matches could be held without any security concerns.

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Hopefully the cricket returns to Pakistan and people of Pakistan can enjoy live matches and on field action.Hats off to Srilankan board and their people for the courtesy they have shown for whatever happened.

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