da doce： It is with regret that the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lankainforms the cricket loving public that the proposed tour to Pakistan willnot be going ahead due to concerns over the safety of our players
BCCSL07-Oct-2001It is with regret that the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lankainforms the cricket loving public that the proposed tour to Pakistan willnot be going ahead due to concerns over the safety of our players.The Pakistan Cricket Board extended an invitation to the BCCSL for the SriLankan team to play three One Day Internationals, following the cancellationof the New Zealand tour of Pakistan.Despite the uncertain global security situation which could especiallyeffect conditions in Pakistan, the Interim Committee of the BCCSL agreed totour in principle, keeping in mind the long history of friendship betweenSri Lanka and Pakistan, both in the game of Cricket and between the twoNations. This was provided that adequate measures would be available for thesecurity of players, as well as the Pakistani players, officials andspectators.”Our first concern was the safety of our players. We requested the PakistanCricket Board to make arrangements to evacuate our players by air, shouldthe need have arisen. However, despite the efforts of the PCB, it was notpossible to arrange the logistics for this and after a series of discussionsbetween the PCB and BCCSL, it was desided that the tour be called off,” saidVijaya Malalasekera, Chairman of the Interim Committee of the BCCSL.Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan, together with Zimbabwe, will next beparticipating in the Sharjah Champions’ Trophy in the UAE, which begins onthe 26th of October.