Ahead of CT 2025, Sri Lanka A cancels two ODIs in Pakistan over political turmoil

New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) Pakistan's claims of successfully organising international cricket in the country suffered a big jolt on Tuesday as the Sri Lanka A team decided not to play the remaining two 50-over matches against Pakistan A due to political unrest in the country's federal capital region.

This is a big jolt to Pakistan's claims over security for international players just a couple of days before the International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meets to decide the schedule of the Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan's chances of hosting the event now look further bleak as this incident is sure to trigger concerns over security among other players.

"PCB officials are under tremendous pressure after Sri Lanka refused to play remaining matches with Pakistan A side. They are actually worried about the Champions Trophy as ICC is keeping a close watch on what is happening in Pakistan," sources close to PCB told IANS.

Pakistan are hoping to host their first ICC event since 1996 but after this incident, the chances look bleak. The Pakistan capital is currently under lockdown as a large number of supporters of jailed former Prime Minister and cricketer Imran Khan have laid siege, with many of them entering the city.

After India refused to travel across the border to play the Champion Trophy, this incident made hosting the mega event in the country further untenable and the possibility of ICC snatching the hosting rights from them now looks stronger.

Pakistan Shaheens (Pakistan A) were scheduled to play two matches against Sri Lanka A on Wednesday and Friday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. But both the boards decided to cut short the series over security concerns among Champions Trophy participants.

"The PCB, in consultation with SLC, has postponed the last two 50-over matches of the Pakistan Shaheen-Sri Lanka A series due to a political activity in the federal capital," the PCB said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The last two matches were scheduled for Wednesday and Friday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Both boards will collaborate to finalise new dates to complete the series," the statement said.

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) put up a cautious front in the wake of the political turmoil in Pakistan as they did not want to take any chances over the players' security as their men's team had come under attack in Lahore in 2009 while it was travelling to the Gadaffi Stadium to play the third day of the second Test. Six members of the Sri Lanka team were wounded and six Pakistani policemen and two civilians were killed when 12 gunmen opened fire on the Sri Lanka's team bus.

International teams refused to travel to Pakistan following the attack for more than a decade and it was only recently that England, Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka sent their teams for short tours.

The cancellation of the Sri Lanka A tour will make the teams weary of travelling to Pakistan because of safety concerns.

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