The Sri Lankan government has instructed the national team to continue with the tour of Pakistan despite several players wishing to leave.
Published November 13, 2025
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has told players they must remain in Pakistan or risk being subject to an “official review” after members of the team announced their intention to leave their tour of Pakistan early due to safety concerns.
Players have expressed concerns for their safety after a suicide bombing killed 12 people and injured 27 others outside a court in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Tuesday.
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SLC issued a statement on Wednesday saying it had instructed its team to proceed with its ongoing tour of Pakistan as scheduled, despite an unspecified number of players wishing to return home.
“If a player or support staff member returns against the SLC’s instructions, a formal review will be conducted and an appropriate decision will be taken,” the board said.
It added that replacements would be sent to ensure the tour could continue without interruption.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the second One-Day International (ODI) scheduled for Thursday has been postponed by one day and the third match on Saturday will be held on Sunday. Both are located in Rawalpindi.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on social media: “We would like to thank the Sri Lankan team for their decision to continue with the Pakistan tour.” “The spirit of sportsmanship and unity shines through.”
In March 2009, six Sri Lankan players were injured when gunmen opened fire on the team bus en route to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for a test match.
As a result of this incident, the national teams of each country were forced to stay away from Pakistan for nearly 10 years.
Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by six runs in the opening ODI in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, with the match going ahead despite a suicide bomb attack in neighboring Islamabad.
The PCB said security around the visiting team has been stepped up since the attack.
Pakistani officials said Naqvi met Sri Lankan players at a hotel in Islamabad on Wednesday and assured them of their safety.
Sri Lanka will play a three-match ODI series against Pakistan before participating in a T20 three-series tournament against the hosts and Zimbabwe from November 17 to 29.
