Sri Lanka Cricket has directed its national team to continue their white-ball tour of Pakistan, despite several players expressing concerns and requesting to return home following an alleged suicide bombing in nearby Islamabad on Tuesday. The blast, which occurred hours before the first ODI, killed 12 people outside a court. The decision confirms the remaining matches of the series will proceed under heightened security.
The uncertainty prompted emergency meetings between SLC, the team management, and Pakistani officials. Mohsin Naqvi, the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman and Pakistan's Interior Minister, personally assured the Sri Lankan team of robust security arrangements, even visiting the Pindi Cricket Stadium to review protocols. Naqvi also met with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Islamabad to provide assurances.
The SLC issued a firm directive to the players to remain in Pakistan, confirming that security concerns "are being duly addressed in close coordination with the PCB and the relevant authorities." However, the board also issued a strong warning to any player or support staff member who chooses to abandon the tour against the directive.
The SLC statement made clear that should any member return home, "a formal review will be conducted to assess their actions, and an appropriate decision will be made upon the conclusion of the review." Replacements would be sent immediately to ensure the tour continues without interruption.
Due to the late-night security deliberations and logistical issues, the remaining two ODIs have been postponed by one day. They will now be played on Friday, November 14, and Sunday, November 16, both at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The T20I tri-series featuring Zimbabwe, which is scheduled to follow the ODIs, has also been postponed by a day and will now be played entirely in Rawalpindi, with initial plans for matches in Lahore dropped.
The situation remains highly sensitive, especially given that the Sri Lankan team bus was targeted in a terrorist attack in Lahore in 2009, which led to a near-decade-long exile of international cricket from Pakistan. Sri Lanka was one of the first teams to resume tours to the country after the long exile.
