Sri Lanka Cricket has told its men’s team and support staff that anyone who quits the ongoing tour of Pakistan will face a “formal review” of their conduct. The warning came after several players asked to fly home following Tuesday’s suicide bombing in Islamabad, the city where the side is based.
With talks stretching into the small hours of Wednesday, little spare time remained to sort out travel, training and broadcast arrangements. As a result, the last two one-day internationals, originally set for 13 and 15 November, have been pushed back 24 hours. Pakistan Cricket Board chair – and interior minister – Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the new dates as 14 and 16 November.
SLC insists security provisions are sufficient and says the tour must continue. In a statement the board said: “If any player, players, or member of the support staff return despite SLC’s directives, a formal review will be conducted to assess their actions, and an appropriate decision will be made upon the conclusion of the review.”
The same release added that officials had moved quickly to reassure the squad. “Following this development, SLC immediately engaged with the players and assured them that all such concerns are being duly addressed in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the relevant authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of every member of the touring party.”
Behind closed doors, several senior cricketers are understood still to be uneasy. Only one of the scheduled three ODIs has been completed and a T20 tri-series, involving Zimbabwe, is due to follow in the same cities. Pulling out now would leave Pakistan scrambling for replacement fixtures and could strain relations between the boards.
For Pakistan, safeguarding this series matters. After the 2009 Lahore attack on a Sri Lankan team bus, top-level international cricket disappeared from the country for years. Sri Lanka, notably, were among the first to return once independent security audits cleared Pakistani venues. Officials on both sides are keen to avoid another hiatus.
Naqvi has already met Sri Lanka’s high commissioner in Islamabad, Fred Siriweera, outlining the multi-layered security ring that shields the touring party. Siriweera, according to a PCB note, “expressed his satisfaction” with the measures. The minister is expected to speak directly to the players before the second ODI.
From a purely cricketing angle, Sri Lanka face the distraction of uncertainty while trying to build momentum in a white-ball format that has brought sporadic success over the past two seasons. Pakistan, meanwhile, have used the series to blood younger seamers ahead of next year’s global events.
No player was available for comment on Wednesday, a sign of the tense atmosphere within the camp. For now, the tour remains alive – but the next 48 hours will be critical in determining whether the fixtures go ahead as rescheduled.
