SLC won't force anyone to go to Pakistan: Gurusinha

The Sri Lankan team is scheduled to take on Pakistan in the UAE in a bilateral series comprising of two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is which will conclude with a T20I at Lahore. However, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is in no mood to hurry into things and stated that they will wait for the security clearance before making their plans to tour Pakistan for the scheduled T20I.

The Sri Lanka team manager, Asanka Gurusinha says that the series between Pakistan and World XI will play a major role for their tour as the International Cricket Council (ICC) could give Pakistan the approval to host International cricket after this Independence Cup. Gurusinha also said that the SLC will send their security experts for checking the situation of Lahore.

“We will wait and see whether the clearance comes through from the ICC,” said Asanka Gurusinha. “Currently the World XI is playing a series and we would like to see how those games go. We will send our security experts too to check the situation in Lahore,” Gurusinha was quoted as saying by The Island.

Sri Lankan team was on the receiving end during the Terrorist attacks in 2009 where the Lankan players Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavithana severely hurt in the firings. In a recent meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the SLC chief Thilanga Sumathipala agreed to send their team to Pakistan.

Would be thankful to Pakistan by touring for what they did for us in 1996: Gurusinha

In 1996, a couple of days before the World Cup, the bombing at the Central Bank saw Australia and West Indies teams pulling out of their league games in Sri Lanka. But then India and Pakistan together formed as Wills XI played against Sri Lanka in support of the Island nation.

“To me personally, it will be a great opportunity to say thank you for Pakistan for what they did to us in 1996 provided the security clearance comes through. It will be great if we can go, but at the same time, I know that SLC will not push anybody to go. We will discuss the matter over the next couple of days,” Gurusinha added.