The Sri Lankan men's cricket team are currently touring Pakistan for an ODI and T20 tri-series that also includes Zimbabwe. Everything was going smoothly until a Islamabad bomb blast sent a scare to the touring side. For some, it might bring back memories of 2009 when the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked. As a result of the blast, a bunch of Sri Lankan players and staff are seeking an early trip home.
The remaining two matches of the ongoing One-Day International series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka were rescheduled on Wednesday in the wake of a bomb blast in Islamabad on Tuesday.
A suicide bomber detonated explosives and killed 12 people outside a court in Islamabad, hours before Sri Lanka’s first One-Day International against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
The second and third ODIs, which were originally scheduled for Thursday and Saturday, respectively, will now be played on Friday and Sunday, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, confirmed on X.
Both games will take place in Rawalpindi. Pakistan currently lead the ODI series, 1-0, after winning the series opener in Rawalpindi by six runs.
However, after the match, panic gripped the Sri Lankan team as they might have had flashbacks of the 2009 tour. The practice sessions of both the Pakistan and the Sri Lankan teams were cancelled before the 2nd ODI on Thursday.
This development comes after some Sri Lankan players expressed their willingness to return home, citing security concerns. However, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) directed its players to continue their tour of Pakistan and assured them of their safety.
The SLC also said that if any player or member of the support staff returns home despite its directives, "a formal review will be conducted to assess their actions and an appropriate decision will be made upon the conclusion of the review."
The statement added that replacements would be sent to Pakistan to ensure that the tour continues without interruption.
A total of 16 Sri Lankan players have decided to quit the Pakistan tour midway after a suicide bombing incident in Islamabad. This comes as a major embarrassment for the PCB and Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be the interior minister of Pakistan.
As per reports in Pakistani media, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi personally met with the Sri Lankan players and team management after the 1st ODI and assured full-proof security for the entire touring party.
It's worth noting that cricket teams in Pakistan receive Presidential-level security after international cricket started returning to the country post a decade-long hiatus. Incidentally, it was Sri Lanka in 2009 that was the last touring team to Pakistan before the international cricket lockdown happened in the country.
This happened as the Sri Lankan team suffered a terrorist attack and cricket fans can never forget the images of Sri Lankan players being airlifted from the stadium itself. This led to a complete shutdown of international cricket in Pakistan.
Pakistan has deployed army and paramilitary forces to protect Sri Lanka’s cricket team after a deadly suicide bombing in Islamabad raised security concerns during their ongoing tour, the interior minister said on Thursday.
Pakistan’s Army Chief, Asim Munir, had assured Sri Lankan Defence Minister, Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon, of the team’s safety, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told parliament in a live televised transmission.
"Our army and paramilitary are deployed for the Sri Lankan team’s security," he added.
The cricket stadium and the hotel where the Sri Lanka team is staying are both less than 10 kilometres from the site of the bombing.
A suicide bombing outside an Islamabad court on Tuesday killed 12 people and wounded 27, one of the capital’s deadliest attacks in years. Militants also stormed a military-run school in Wana, killing three people before security forces rescued students and shot the assailants dead.
Pakistan blamed militants based in Afghanistan, alleging Indian support, accusations Kabul and New Delhi denied. Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, said the attacks had put the country in a, "state of war."
Even the Pakistan Super League, Pakistan's official T20 Franchise League Tournament, had to be launched in the UAE in 2016 as the UAE had become the base for Pakistan's international cricket affairs since the 2009 incident.
The T20I tri-series is scheduled to be played from November 17 to 29. Rawalpindi is the designated host for the first two matches, while Lahore will host the remaining five games, including the final.
The sudden abandonment of the tour by the Sri Lankan team is not only an egg on the face of PCB but also its chairman, who holds a strong political position in his country.
I can understand why the Sri Lankan players and staff want to leave. Having PTSD related feelings can be hard to get rid of. I believe that SLC should be reasonable. If certain people want to leave, they should be granted permission. As it has been stated, more players are flying in to Pakistan.
Having the best security around could potentially mean squat. Odd and unusual events can occur. This event can also potentially be bad for Pakistan. It can set a bad image for them. I hope this doesn't happen. Pakistan is a beautiful country and deserves all the tourism that other countries offer and enjoy.