We will be in Lahore for less than 24 hours: Asanka Gurusinha

The cricket manager of Sri Lanka Asanka Gurusinha believes that the Sri Lankan team would be in Lahore for the third T20I for less than 24 hours. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on Monday night, officially confirmed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the team would be travelling to their country for the one-off game. However, the limited overs skipper Upul Tharanga has ruled himself out of the match and subsequently from the series.

The board had already made it clear that the players cannot pick and choose the games they would play and the squad will remain same for the whole series. So the cricketers who will deny touring Pakistan will be axed from the 3-match T20I series. The willingness of support staff, however, has softened the stance of few players but as of now, only three players have agreed to play at Gaddafi Stadium.

We are trying to rope in some top players

Asanka Gurusinha, in his interview to Cricbuzz, cleared that the board is trying to rope in some of the top players in order to help Pakistan to revive international cricket in their country. “SLC will be speaking to most of the players to find the best way forward. It seems like we will be there in Lahore for less than 24 hours. We are flying in and flying out. We are hoping that some of the players who had concerns will seriously look at it. “There are lot of positives taking place I should say. It is not nice to name the players but there were positive feedback from certain players,” he said.

He also hoped that after the much-needed security clearance, the players might change their stand. We have to look at both sides. SLC wanted security clearance and once that is done, the board has to send the players. SLC now will tell the selectors the process that should take place. It is a tough choice for the players. The players will seriously look at it and hopeful they will look at it favourably,” Gurusinha added.