Sri Lanka to tour Pakistan later this year, confirms SL Sports Minister

After lots of discussions and powwows, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board has finally decided that they’ll be touring to Pakistan later this year. The team is likely to return to the nation after a gap of two years, for playing a 3-match white-ball series. They will probably stay in Pakistan for a week and then return back.

Earlier, there were reports that the two teams will take on each other for two Tests, however, the SLC put all the rumors to rest and announced that they aren’t in the position to play a Test series in Pakistan, at the moment. International teams had stopped touring Pakistan due to security reasons after the terror attack on the Lankan side in 2009 near the Lahore Stadium. Nonetheless, since the last couple of years, cricket has again started to find its roots in Pakistan, as the teams have started to make short-term tours to the country.

The Sri Lankan team had also played a T20I on the Pakistani soil, two years ago. Now, after a two-year absence, the team is again returning to Pakistan, for a short series. The Sports Minister of Sri Lanka, Harin Fernando told the media persons on Thursday that his side will lock horns with the Men In Green later this year and will stay in their backyard for a short span of around 8 days.

“We are not in a position to send the team to Pakistan to play two Tests, but we will be there for about eight days to play ODIs or T20 matches,” said Fernando in a press conference. He further added that the Test games were not possible due to security reasons, howbeit, the teams can take on each-other for red-ball games too, but at Pakistan’s second home i.e. UAE.

Sri Lanka takes on NZ while Pakistan prepares for future tours

In the meantime, both sides are busy in their respective ways. While, the Sri Lankan team is currently playing a Test series against the Kiwis, the Pakistan squad, on the other hand, hasn’t begun its World Test Championship campaign yet and is currently training under the guidance of the former cricketer Misbah-ul-Haq.

Watch: 10 cricketers and the cost of their luxurious houses