Sri Lanka sports minister will travel to Pakistan with the team for the 3rd T20I

The much-hyped about return of International cricket to Pakistan will see Sri Lanka playing the final T20I of the series at Lahore on 29th October. Interestingly, the same team who were at the receiving end of a life-threatening attack back in 2009, who were the last team to travel to Pakistan, will be returning to Lahore to prove cricket stands beyond anything else.

A lot of Sri Lankan cricketers, who almost knocked the doors of death all those years ago, have decided to not travel back to Pakistan. Some players in the current team like Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedara, and Suranga Lakmal were a part of that 2009 squad and they were one of the first to step back from the series. Amidst all the chaos, Thisara Perera was appointed as the captain for the first time in his career.

ICC said it is safe for our side to tour Pakistan

Sri Lankan sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, who earlier said that their side will be in Lahore for less than 24 hours, also mentioned lately that he will be accompanying the side to Pakistan. This indeed is a great gesture from him and this will help the players boost their confidence.

“It is safe for our team. I am accompanying them to demonstrate that it is safe for us,” Jayasekara told reporters in Colombo. The ICC (International Cricket Council) has also said it is safe for us to tour Pakistan.”

Ever since the attack took place, only one team traveled to Pakistan. Zimbabwe toured their country for a 5-match ODI series and received quite a warm reception from the crowd. Yet, that didn’t really go down as the comeback of International cricket. That’s when Pakistan Cricket Board came up with the Independence cup, to break all the barriers and announce their arrival.

Some big players like Faf du Plessis, Paul Collingwood, Hashim Amla, Thisara Perera and George Bailey were a part of the World XI side and the 3-matc T20I series proved to be a huge success. The first two encounters of this T20I series with Sri Lanka will be conducted at Abu Dhabi and the final game will be at Lahore.