Sri Lanka considering Pakistan tour

Monitoring Desk

KARACHI: The President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Shammi Silva has hinted at the possibility of touring Pakistan, after denying that any talks had happened earlier.

Silva told The Island that they had received a request from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and they were looking at it favourably. “PCB has made a request and we will assess the security situation. We are looking at the possibility favourably,” said Silva. Pakistan is slated to host two Test matches against Sri lanka in October this year, as part of the inaugural International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship. The PCB has been vocal about bringing test cricket back to the country, after a terrorist attack in 2009 brought a stagnation of cricket in the country as teams did not feel safe.

Earlier the president of the Sri Lanka board had previously denied reports of the Islanders touring Pakistan. According to The Sunday Times, the Sri Lanka cricket chief has said that ‘no such talks’ have taken place between them and the PCB. “We have not been contacted by any PCB official and no such discussion ever took place. If there are such reports claiming that negotiations are taking place or took place, they are baseless and untrue,” Silva said. This new development could pave the way for Test cricket’s eventual return to the country. Not a single Test match has been played in Pakistan due to security-related issues, following the horrific terrorist attack on the touring Sri Lankan team, which was taking part in a Test match, in Lahore on March 3, 2009.