SLC to reassess security in Pakistan after fresh threats

As many as ten star players - including the likes of Lasith Malinga, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Matthews - backed out of the tour. © Getty

Sri Lanka Cricket board has, on Wednesday (September 11), sought assistance from the Sri Lankan government to conduct a reassessment of the security situation in Pakistan ahead of the team's scheduled limited-overs tour to the country later in September.

The government help was sought after the Prime Minister's Office alerted the SLC of receiving "reliable information of a possible terrorist threat" on the Sri Lankan team while in Pakistan. The PMO, thereby, relayed the warning to the national board and has advised "extreme care" and reassessment of the security measures before embarking on the said tour.

Pakistan was stripped of hosting rights for international cricket after the then Sri Lankan team bus came under a militant attack in Lahore on their 2009 tour, and subsequently shifted their home base to UAE. Sri Lanka have since then played just one T20I in Lahore, roughly two years ago in October 2017.

As many as ten star players - including the likes of Lasith Malinga, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Matthews - backed out of the tour after a security briefing with the board earlier in the week. Consequently, SLC announced relatively inexperienced squads for the impending ODI and T20I series earlier on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board released a statement on their official twitter handle, "We have seen the SLC statement, but are not privy to any information or intelligence report relating to safety of the SL team. The PCB reiterates its commitment to provide complete safety and security to the SL side and in this relation will continue to work with the SLC."

Sri Lanka are scheduled to play three ODIs in Karachi, followed by as many T20Is in Lahore between September 27 and October 9.