Sri Lanka Cricket to evaluate the security before Lahore T20I

The success and the overwhelming response the World XI series was showered with marked the return of international cricket to Pakistan. As a result of the same, Sri Lanka have scheduled their third and the last T20I of the tour at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on the 29th of October.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is setting things up already with security being the top priority. Sri Lanka Cricket’s CEO Ashley de Silva stressed the importance of player security. He said that if the security is not guaranteed as per the talks, then the series might have to be rescheduled with a new venue. In order to make the process smoother, the board will be making an early assessment of the security arrangements at the venue.

“As planned, we would be sending one of our security personnel to Pakistan at least two weeks in advance of the team going there to pad out an assessment and give us a report,” de Silva said ahead of the series next month. “If we feel there is a security threat, we will not send the team. We will assess the situation prior to taking the final call,” he further added.

The 2009 attack

The Sri Lankan team was on the bus and on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium when the terrorists attacked it. Following the attack in 2009, Pakistan never hosted a major International team at home except for Zimbabwe and played their home matches in the UAE.

De Silva said that the players haven’t raised a concern about travelling to the country. “As per the agreement they have signed with Sri Lanka Cricket, there is a contractual obligation, but always the players can bring concerns to the notice of the management. So far they have not brought anything to our notice,” he stated.

However, he also confirmed that the board would not take any actions if players decide to drop out from the squad if they wish to.

“I don’t think [there will be any action taken against the players], but we would look at their security first and give them the assurance that nothing would happen if they go to Pakistan,” he further added.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera was part of the World XI squad that travelled to Pakistan recently, where they lost 2-1 to the host side. The all-rounder could be an influencing factor for the Sri Lankan team against Pakistan. Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal confirmed that the final decision would be taken in the next few days.