Security threat: Sri Lanka refuses to send throwball team to Pakistan

Sri Lanka's 16-member team was scheduled to play a three-match series in Karachi.

KARACHI: Sri Lanka on Thursday refused to send its 16-member squad to Pakistan to participate in a throwball tournament due to the deteriorating security situation in Karachi, Express News reported on Thursday.

The team was due to arrive in Karachi on March 26 to feature in a three-match series against Pakistan.

In February, Pakistan Throwball Federation (PTF) Secretary Maqbool Arain had said that all the matches will be played in Karachi.

He had said that the national team of Pakistan was to be selected in the first week of March.

The deteriorating security situation in Karachi has already claimed the postponement of the KMC Indo-Pak Snooker Series. The Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) President Alamgir Sheikh had expressed hope that the series would be played later this year.

The event was to be played from March 7-10 after a gap of eight years.

Four years ago, the Sri Lankan cricket team was on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the third day of the second test match on March 3, 2009, when militants opened fire and threw grenades at their bus, killing eight people.