Sri Lankan players express concern after Islamabad rocked by bomb explosion

Colombo, Nov 12 (PTI) Some Sri Lankan cricketers, currently touring Pakistan with the team for an ODI series, have expressed safety concerns after Islamabad was rocked by a deadly bomb explosion, and have requested their board to cancel the tour, according to sources.

Sources in Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said that because of the proximity of Rawalpindi, where the three-match ODI is being played, to Islamabad, where the explosion took place killing 12 people, a few players had expressed the desire to return.

However, indications from the top SLC management are that they want the tour to go ahead as scheduled.

The ODIs will be followed by a triangular series, also involving Zimbabwe.

The first ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was played in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, which the hosts won by six runs. The second ODI is to be played at the same venue on Thursday.

In 2009, the Sri Lankan cricket team bus was attacked by gunmen when it was on its way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the second Test.

Several members of the Sri Lankan team, including Ajantha Mendis, Chaminda Vaas and captain Mahela Jayawardene, were injured while many Pakistani security personnel were killed.

Following the deadly attack, all foreign teams refrained from visiting Pakistan for over a decade and the country was compelled to use offshore venues in the Middle East to host its home matches.

Coincidentally it was Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan in December 2019 which signalled the return of international cricket to the country. PTI Cor AM AM AM