LAHORE: The three one-day international (ODI) matches that were part of the Green Shirts’ planned tour of Sri Lanka have been scrapped, it emerged on Monday. Pakistan were originally slated to play two Tests and three ODIs when the men’s team are to visit Sri Lanka in July. However, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed yesterday that the ODIs had been scrapped at the request of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). He said that SLC had requested the board to drop the three ODIs so that they could begin the Lanka Premier League (LPL) earlier. “The ODIs are not part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League and the SLC is facing financial challenges, so the PCB accepted the request,” the PCB official said. He went on to say that the itinerary for the two Test matches was being worked out but said they would be played in the agreed upon window (July 5 to August 9).
The news comes as Sri Lanka is suffering from a worsening economic crisis. Months of blackouts and acute shortages of food, fuel and medicines have caused widespread suffering across the Pearl Island, which is enduring its worst-ever economic downturn. There were also concerns over player burnout prior to the T20 World Cup later in the year, with Pakistan’s visit sandwiched between Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka in June and the Lanka Premier League set for August, as well as the Asia Cup soon after in September. The last time Sri Lanka met Pakistan in Tests was in 2019. That series marked the first Tests to be played in Pakistan since the 2009 Lahore attacks. It ended 1-0 in the hosts’ favour. Sri Lanka are currently in Bangladesh for a two-match Test series due to start on May 15.