Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse has given green light for his national cricket team to tour Pakistan, Express News reported on Saturday.
According to Express News correspondent Yousuf Anjum, the Sri Lankan president told media that they are ready to send the Sri Lankan national team to Pakistan, but it is up to the boards of both the countries to sort out the dates and other intricacies for a tour.
Rajapakse reportedly said that relations between both Sri Lanka and Pakistan and their respective boards have always been excellent, and Sri Lanka was saddened by the fact that international cricket had stopped in Pakistan due to one unfortunate incident.
“We are ready to take the initiative in this and will be happy if international cricket resumes in Pakistan,” Rajapakse was quoted as saying.
The Sri Lankan national cricket team came under attack by militants as their bus made its way to the cricket stadium in Lahore for the third day of a Test match. At least eight people were killed in the attack and six Sri Lankan players were injured.
Correction: An earlier version of the article was running an editing error. The correction has been made.
COMMENTS (23)
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@gold: bayonets? ha ha ha where did you read your fancy fiction?
Thanx!
@Liberal: This is what one can call a 'paindoo' remark / comment Totally uncalled for.. Viva President Rajapakse! All you kind people will recall that the Sri Lankans have supported us all along and there is no reason for them to stop supporting us now. Sadly, you will recall and remember that it was our PCB under the 'jahil' chairmanship of Ejaz Butt that took a backward somersault on the security commitments, which resulted in the disastrous fiasco. Please remember that Pakistan is a member of the global community and if we want respect, we have to give respect to others. Salams
"however due to an unfortunate incident no international cricket has stopped in Pakistan and that Sri Lanka is sad about this"
Please get a better sub-editor.. Thanks
Good news. Why not welcome it? those who argue that we should wait for the right time are not aware that security situation will not improve for decades due to our wrong policies. so, does it mean the nation should be deprived of cricket for decades? let's hope for the better. cheers
@Karim Javed: One cann't understand different between loss & lost and is commenting here to have understood the reason behind losing a Semi final which, IMHO, was purely because of bad decisions due to immaturity on part of Hafeez. Mr Captain should have included Razzaq instead of Afridi and should not have taken off pace bowlers especially Sohail Tanvir knowing how well he was bowling. We are really grateful to President Mahinda Rajapakse for showing his keen interest in returning international cricket to Pakistan but unfortunately, this isn't a right time .. We must wait at least till 2014 once international forces start to withdraw and then we will be able to know if the current situation improves or otherwise. This is a decision if taken early can ruin this sport for decades in Pakistan.
@ if they did Liberal for the sake of cricket return to pakistan, iam proud of our sportsman. Its not easy to give a awaya match. bringing cricket to pakistan is necessary.
Thank Your SIR Mahinda Rajapakse. It Means alot for Pakistani viewers..>!
good bye sri lankan team....i liked u a lot ...:(
Great Sri lanka . .!!!! Thanks a lot . .!!! Hats off to you people ..!!!
If true, Thank you Mr.President. Pakistanis will love SL more.
Mahinda Rajapakse is a great friend, and ally of Pakistan. Pakistan should ensure FULL foolproof security for the Sri Lankan team, unlike last time.
Thanks Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse.
May their souls rest in peace.
Not again...........PCB cant provide enough security in 2008 how come they can provide security to the Sri Lankan team this time when security situation is very very bad and gloomy in the whole country.......very poor decision by Srilanka.....
Let's hope the incompetents in the Punjab govt can atleast this time guarantee the team's security.
A man who is shielding war criminals for murdering Tamil children, women and men in the most horrible manner with bayonets, guns, torture, dehumanizing treatment etc. etc AFTER the internal war with LTTE terrorists was over....he has finally found a willing audience in Pakistan? Come on people, if you are humane as you claim, do what the rest of the world is doing, this man did not dare show his face publicly in London fearing mass protests even though he was travelling on a State visit there and his appearances at events had to be cancelled, it was BBC that first aired a most damning documentary with video evidence of war crimes of the most horrific nature committed by Sri Lankan troops and all this man and his ministers did was deny everything outright and not allow any commissions or investigations to happen..
It will be nice if Pakistani authorities do the right thing and put human rights over cricket for this one time and not allow such ties to happen till the Sri Lankan government agrees to an impartial inquiry by an International third party - they were already using the Norwegian government to mediate with the LTTE. Please put and keep the pressure on; these criminals MUST be brought to book...what happened in Lanka yesterday could happen anywhere tomorrow...
Now i understand why Pakistan loss to Sri Lanka :D
Oh my God, not again, please. Our security forces, police and interior ministry are too busy on numerous fronts. Leaders like Asfandyar Wali, Fazlur Rehman and Zardari avoid unnecessary travelling within the country due to security concerns. Who will provide security to Sri Lankan Cricket team? It was a miracle, last time, when visitors escpaed Qazzafi stadium without any serious loss but miracles dont happen everytime. As a Pakistani, when ever I think of what happened to Sri Lankan team in Lahore during their last visit, it gives me goose bumps even today. Please be very careful- guests need to be protected at any cost- this is our culture and this is our religion.
im not gettting my hopes up...
What is the hurry........What if another attack happens...........?????Then international cricket will never return................We should be practical and first devot our efforts to defeat Taliban
Oh! So this is why we gave the semi to the Lankans!