Abu Dhabi: Upul Tharanga, the Sri Lankan captain, has pulled out of the scheduled final T20 International in Lahore later this month because of ‘security concerns,’ according to reports.
With the captain taking the call, it is unlikely that he would be allowed to lead the team for the first two T20s as well.
Sri Lankan board, which decided on travelling to Pakistan for the final T20 International after a lengthy meeting in Abu Dhabi yesterday, will finalise the squad for T20s today and announce it on October 20.
The board might be inclined to pick wicketkeeper batsman Kusal Perera, still recovering from a hamstring injury, to lead the side in three-match series.
It is learnt that along with Thisara Perera, Dilshan Munaweera, Ashan Priyanjan and Isuru Udana are the others players who have agreed to tour and most of the players, baring seniors like Lasith Malinga, are slowly swinging in favour of making the trip.
Preparations on
It is also learnt that Sri Lankan support staff comprising of South African coach Nic Pothas, batting coach Hashan Thilakaratne, bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake and Manager Asanka Gurusinha are ready to tour. This happened after Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur briefed them on the security.
SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala who will accompany the team to Lahore, extended his best wishes to PCB Chairman Najam Sethi and his board on the occasion of this historic game, which is set to bring back bilateral cricket to Pakistan.
“The Lankan side will be playing the third and the last T20 of the ongoing series at Lahore as earlier announced. We have started our preparations to host the Lankan side in the same way we hosted the World XI last month and we look tour to the tour of the Lankan side to have international cricket in Pakistan,” confirmed Sethi while speaking to the media at Allama Iqbal airport on his return from Auckland after attending ICC meeting.
