After the suicide attack in Islamabad, several Sri Lankan cricketers and support staff want to return home, but their own cricket board is standing in their way.
Following the bombing in Islamabad, many members of the Sri Lankan team touring Pakistan expressed a desire to leave the country. However, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has made it clear that any player or support staff who returns home will face an “official review” of their actions, with appropriate measures taken afterward.
The attack on Tuesday in Islamabad killed at least 12 people and injured many more. The Sri Lankan squad, currently in the city for a three-match ODI series against Pakistan, is also scheduled to participate in an upcoming tri-nation series involving Zimbabwe.
After the bombing, several players and staff informed the board of their wish to leave. Late into Wednesday night, discussions and negotiations continued between the players, team management, SLC officials, and Pakistani security personnel. Due to the uncertainty, the next two ODIs were postponed by a day each. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that Thursday’s match would now be played on Friday and Saturday’s match on Sunday.
The rescheduling of the ODIs also affected the start of the tri-nation series, which will now begin on Tuesday instead of Monday. While most matches, including the final, were originally scheduled for Lahore, the revised schedule has all matches taking place in Rawalpindi, meaning the teams will remain in Islamabad throughout.
Addressing the players’ concerns, SLC assured the squad that full security measures have been provided and instructed them to continue with the series. The board’s statement warned of “possible consequences” if any member disobeys this directive.
“SLC has made it clear that if any player or support staff leaves the country despite instructions, their actions will undergo a formal review, and appropriate measures will be taken following that review.”
The statement also noted that discussions with Pakistan’s security agencies and PCB officials have confirmed the highest level of safety for the team. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, is expected to personally meet the Sri Lankan players to reassure them. He has already met Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Pakistan, Fred Sireur, presenting detailed security plans for the team, which reportedly reassured Sireur.
This is not the first time the Sri Lankan team has faced terrorism in Pakistan. In 2009, during a Test series in Lahore, armed attackers targeted the team bus while traveling from the hotel to the stadium, leaving six security personnel and two civilians dead. Several players, including Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, and Ajantha Mendis, were injured.
Following that incident, no international team toured Pakistan for several years. Later, international cricket gradually returned to Pakistan, with tours by West Indies, Zimbabwe, and others, reintroducing the country as a host venue.
