Pak vs SL | Sri Lanka confirms Pakistan tour after receiving go-ahead from Defence Ministry

The Sri Lankan cricket team will be departing for Pakistan on Tuesday after they were given the approval from the Defence Ministry that dismissed any threats to their safety. The team is scheduled to three ODIs in Karachi, with the first one scheduled for the 27th, before playing three T20Is in Lahore to mark an end to the tour on the ninth of October.

“We have the green light from the defence ministry,” Sri Lanka Cricket Secretary Mohan de Silva told AFP, reported Sportstar.

The planning was going ahead smoothly before the country’s Prime Minister warned the Board of information they had received of a possible terrorist attack during the tour. PCB had denied having received any intimation of such threats to the player’s safety, but 10 players from the Lions’ squad withdrew out of fear. Last time Sri Lanka had been to Pakistan for a proper series, their team bus had been attacked and had resulted in the death of six Pakistan policemen and a couple of civilians.

“The tour is on as we planned. I myself and our office bearers will also be accompanying the team,” de Silva.

He had visited Pakistan in August along with a team of security consultants to check security arrangements and make sure the players won’t be risking their safety if they went ahead with the tour.

“They have promised security reserved for a head of state,” de Silva said.