In a statement on Wednesday (November 12), SLC confirmed that team management had reported “several members of the national team currently touring Pakistan have requested to return home, citing safety concerns.”
The board said it had engaged with the players and assured them that all concerns were being addressed “in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and relevant authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of every member of the touring party.”
Despite this, SLC instructed all players and officials to continue the series as planned, adding that replacements would be sent if anyone chose to leave.
“If any player or member of the support staff returns despite SLC’s directives, a formal review will be conducted to assess their actions, and an appropriate decision will be made afterward,” the statement read.
Earlier reports indicated several Sri Lankan cricketers wanted to withdraw after a suicide blast outside an Islamabad court killed 12 and injured 27.
The first ODI in Rawalpindi went ahead, with Pakistan winning by six runs, while the next two matches are set for Thursday and Saturday at the same venue. The T20I tri-series featuring Zimbabwe is scheduled from November 17 to 29.
The situation has also revived memories of the 2009 Lahore terror attack on the Sri Lankan team, which halted international cricket in Pakistan for nearly a decade.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced that the matches will be played on November 14 and 16, when they had been scheduled for November 13 and 15.
