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- Dubai 04:26 05:44 12:20 15:47 18:50 20:08
Players of Sri Lanka wait for a pending decision during the second One-Day International match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on December 20, 2013 in Dubai, UAE. (GETTY)
More than four years after an attack on their team in Lahore, Sri Lanka is ready to tour Pakistan again if the hosts can provide proper security assurances to them, a report said on Saturday.
The attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009, which stripped Pakistan of its right to host international matches, left a permanent scar on some of the players but according to Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) media manager Rajith Fernando a tour could still be possible in the near future.
“Insurgency is not new to us as we have seen it in Sri Lanka for three decades. The 2009 incident was unfortunate, but Sri Lanka can tour Pakistan again if decent security arrangements are guaranteed,” Fernando told a Pakistani channel News One TV.
No Test team has toured Pakistan since March 2009 when gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in which six Pakistani policemen and a van driver were killed and some of the visiting players wounded.
“Sri Lanka highly values the support from Pakistan in tough times. We understand Pakistan’s agony and are ready to help in every possible way,” he added while hinting at the possibility of formal talks between the the PCB and SLC.
The interim chairman of the Paksitan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi and the Secretary of SLC, Nishantha Ranatunga are in the UAE to witness the ongoing series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The PCB has been trying hard to convince the International Cricket Council and its member Boards to support them in revival of international cricket in the country.
Bangladesh cancelled a bilateral tour to Pakistan earlier this year citing security reasons.
The SLC official also touched upon the upcoming tour to Bangladesh and hoped it would go ahead as per schedule.
“We have not decided to call the tour off as yet but the final decision will be taken after thorough deliberation. We hope situation will get better after the general elections in Bangladesh”, said Rajith Fernando
Bangladesh is scheduled to host Sri Lanka for two Tests, two Twenty20s and three ODIs during a series starting from January 27.
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