Citing security concerns, ten out of eleven Sri Lankan players have opted out of the series against Pakistan scheduled to be held in the country this month. Present T20 Captain Lasith Malinga and former captains Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera are amongst those who have declined to visit Pakistan.
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Last time when Sri Lanka visited in 2009 the team came under attack by a militant group. Next the time team visited in 2017 for a T20 match at the same venue. Parera who led the team at the time is now amongst those not willing to visit Pakistan for the scheduled three One-Day Internationals and three T20 matches to start from September 27.
The Sri Lanka board has issued a statement which elaborated that the players were briefed on the security arrangements for the match and were given the choice to accept or reject the tour participation.
Other players who have declined the Pakistan tour include Suranga Lakmal, Akila Dananjaya, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne and Niroshan Dickwella.
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On the other end, Danushka Gunathilaka has accepted the tour participation and stated that he believes the security arrangements would be adequate this time around.
