High-level discussions are currently underway to persuade Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan to continue the ongoing ODI series, after several players expressed serious safety concerns following a deadly suicide bombing in Islamabad on Tuesday.
While Sri Lanka were taking on Pakistan in the first ODI at the Rawalpindi International Cricket Stadium, a suicide attack outside a court in Pakistan’s capital claimed 12 lives and left at least 27 others injured. The incident has reignited concerns over player safety and cast uncertainty over the continuation of the series.
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According to sources, multiple Sri Lankan players have voiced their unease after the attack and have indicated a reluctance to proceed with the remainder of the tour. Pakistan authorities have since provided strong assurances of top-level security and have held multiple rounds of discussions with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials to persuade the team to honour their commitments.
Despite these assurances, the players remain apprehensive. The situation has evoked painful memories of the 2009 Lahore attack, when armed militants targeted the Sri Lankan team bus en route to the Gaddafi Stadium, injuring several players and staff members. That incident resulted in Pakistan being sidelined from hosting international cricket for nearly a decade.
Sri Lanka are scheduled to play the second ODI of the three-match series on Wednesday at the same venue in Rawalpindi. However, as of now, the fixture remains in doubt pending the outcome of ongoing discussions between the players, team management, and cricket authorities.
