10 Sri Lankan Players Backout From Pakistan Tour

As many as 10 Sri Lankan players, including T20I captain Lasith Malinga and Dimuth Karunaratne, have withdrawn from the tour of Pakistan that is scheduled to start later this month. As per a release from Sri Lanka cricket, the players were given choice to choose whether they want to travel to the country or not.

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After the discussion with the board, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Janith Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Thisara Perera, Akila Dhananjaya, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Suranga Lakmal, Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne withdrew to form the tour. The 10 players will not be available for selection.

SLC statement on the tour of Pakistan – https://t.co/AhEIQNp1aQ #SLvPAK #PAKvSL

— Sri Lanka Cricket ?? (@OfficialSLC) September 9, 2019

The release also added that Kusal Mendis isn’t available for selection due to an injury that he suffered during the T20I series against New Zealand.

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With the senior Sri Lankan players backing out from the tour, the selectors will have to name a new captain and a second-string side, if it is on track even after the announcement by SLC. The backout from 10 players could have an impact on the series and it remains to be seen whether the series is still played in Pakistan now.

As per the schedule, the two teams will be playing three ODIs and three T20Is from September 27 to October 9 in Karachi and Lahore. If the series does not take place in Pakistan, it could be shifted in UAE – the venue for the two-match Test series. PCB is likely to make a comment on the announcement from SLC soon.

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In past as well, many foreign players have refused to travel Pakistan on occasions. Few players have continued to backout from Pakistan leg of Pakistan Super League as well, despite being part of the franchise in the tournament.

Since 2009, Pakistan has hosted international matches. In 2017, a second-string Sri Lankan team played one-off T20I there while in 2018, a third-string West Indies team reached Pakistan to play three T20Is just 24 hours before the match.

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Pakistan hasn’t hosted a Test match since 2009, the year when terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus.