Sri Lanka players leave Pakistan to return home as Islamabad bomb blast sparks safety scare; ODI series in limbo

According to a report in the PTI, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) sources stated that the players have been concerned about their safety due to the proximity of Rawalpindi, where the ODIs are being played, to Islamabad. These eight players will also not play in the tri-nation T20I series that follows the ODI contest, which also involves Zimbabwe.

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While the development means that the second ODI on Thursday is unlikely to take place, sources in SLC have told the news agency that replacements will be sent for those returning home. Pakistan had earlier clinched a nail-biting win in the opening game at Rawalpindi, restricting Sri Lanka to six runs short of the 300-run target.

Back in 2009, tragedy struck when the Sri Lankan cricket team bus came under gunfire en route to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the second Test on the tour. Several players, including Ajantha Mendis, Chaminda Vaas, and captain Mahela Jayawardene, sustained injuries, while a number of Pakistani security personnel lost their lives in the attack.

The horrifying incident led to an immediate halt in international cricket in Pakistan, forcing the country to host its “home” matches in neutral venues across the Middle East for over a decade.

Ironically, Sri Lanka’s tour of Pakistan in December 2019 marked the symbolic return of international cricket to the nation, ending years of isolation.

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