Plenty of takeaways for Sri Lanka, as they return to Lahore

The Sri Lankan team and the officials were taken to a five-star hotel in a bomb-proof bus with hundreds of elite police commandos and the paramilitary rangers providing top-class security. The 24-member visiting team became the first high-profile international side to visit Pakistan since the 2009 incident. In the last eight years, only Zimbabwe have toured the nation, besides staging the PSL final this year and a 3-match T20I series against a World XI side.

Eight people died in the Lahore attack, while several were injured. With time, the injuries have healed and public opinions have taken shape. There is no denying the fact that the Sri Lankan cricket board and the Pakistan cricket board share a very productive and positive bond. And therefore it wasn’t surprising when news about the Lankan side visiting the cricket estranged nation hit the prime time.

Political gains, opportunity for rookies

The SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala passionately campaigned for the Lahore match, and in all likelihood, he had set his sight on the prized possession. As ESPNcricinfo reported,  Sumathipala is an unelected “national list” MP, which means he is in parliament only because he has turned into a useful asset to influential (elected) officials.

Previously, Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse had made a promise that Sri Lanka would resume touring, but that never happened. Sumathipala went a yard ahead, as he along with sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara had said that they would accompany the team on the tour. Once the series gets over and the side returns back to the island nation, Sumathipala will see his name in the history notes, and clearly, his political mileage will benefit from it too.

Coming back to cricket, it is an opportunity for certain players who were set to visit the Caribbean nation with the Lankan ‘A’, to play in the big stage and make a mark for themselves.