Sri Lanka’s cricket team is set to visit Pakistan this month for the first time in two years, last venturing into the country in 2017 for a lone match, but most players are afraid to step on Pakistani soil, believing it to be a risk they would rather avoid.
Ten top players from the Sri Lankan cricket team, including T20 skipper Lasith Malinga and One Day International (ODI) captain Dimuth Karunaratne, have refused to participate in the upcoming cricket tour in Pakistan over concerns for their security.
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This reaction was triggered because of the 2009 terror attack on the team in Pakistan, allegedly carried out by the Taliban, wherein the team’s bus was indiscriminately fired upon as they were making their way to the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore. The barbaric attack left eight people dead and injured seven Sri Lankan players and staff. Since the incident, international cricket has avoided the country with no high-profile team visiting it for a full-length tour. The upcoming six-match series of T20 and ODI matches scheduled to begin from Sept. 27 is Pakistan’s attempt to resurface in the international cricket scene.
In a meeting held with the preliminary team selected to play in Pakistan, players were assured that appropriate security arrangements would be made but were also given the option to opt out. Other players who “chose to stay away” from the series include Thisara Perera, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, and Dinesh Chandimal.
The international community has often accused Pakistan of fuelling terrorism, including The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international watchdog for terror financing which believes Pakistan is funding terror activities. However, while Prime Minister Imran Khan admits that there are over 30,000 terrorists in the country, he maintains that the government is a victim, not a propagator.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Harin Fernando is refusing to let the Sri Lankan team play two Test matches against Pakistan in the latter country, instead urging the the United Arab Emirates to be the venue for longer Test matches.
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