The Sri Lanka Cricket Board has decided to continue with the Pakistan tour after several cricketers expressed concerns over the security situation following a suicide blast in Islamabad’s local court earlier this week.
On Wednesday night, several Sri Lankan cricketers expressed concerns and asked their board to allow them to travel back to Sri Lanka midway through the ongoing tour of Pakistan. However, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board on Wednesday confirmed that its ongoing tour of Pakistan will go ahead as planned despite calls to cancel the series.
The decision was met with relief and appreciation in Islamabad, where officials held it as a show of solidarity and confidence in Pakistan’s security efforts. The cricket fans and social media users in Pakistan extended gratitude to the Sri Lankan cricket team and the government of Sri Lanka for continuing to support the sport of cricket in Pakistan in the face of terrorism.
Earlier, there were anticipations that if the board allowed some of the Sri Lankan cricketers to come home midway, they might have to replace them with substitute players, and this might impact the schedule of the series. The manager of the Sri Lankan cricket team, a few hours later, confirmed that no player would be returning home after negotiations succeeded between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Sri Lankan cricket team.
Grateful to the Sri Lankan team for their decision to continue the Pakistan tour 🇵🇰🇱🇰.
The spirit of sportsmanship and solidarity shines bright.
The ODI matches between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be played on 14th and 16th November in Rawalpindi.#PakistanCricket #PAKvSL— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) November 12, 2025
In a statement, Srilanka Cricket had clarified that if any player wants to return to Srilanka despite the assurance, he will be replaced in a bid to ensure the continuation of the ongoing series of interruption, but the players would have to undergo a formal assessment by the Cricket Board over their actions.
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The Sri Lankan Cricket said that the team management had informed the board on Wednesday that some members of the national squad had requested to leave Pakistan. The board said it had immediately engaged with the players, assuring that all safety concerns were being addressed in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board and relevant authorities.
The board directed all players, support staff, and team management to remain in Pakistan and continue with the series. However, the board clarified that if any squad member still wants to return home, the board would send a replacement soon. Sri Lanka’s Interior Minister, as well as PCB Chairman Mohsen Naqvi, extended his gratitude to the Sri Lankan team for continuing their stay in Pakistan.
“Grateful to the Sri Lankan team for their decision to continue the Pakistan tour. The spirit of sportsmanship and solidarity shines bright. The ODI matches between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be played on 14th and 16th November in Rawalpindi,” said Mohsin Naqvi in a statement on X.