Pakistan was scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series and three-match ODI series in July and August.
Pakistan will be touring Sri Lanka in the month of August just for the two Tests as the three-match ODI series has been canceled as per requests from the Sri Lanka cricket board. While the Test series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23, the ODIs weren’t included in the ICC World Cup Super League. A lot has been happening in Sri Lanka in recent times in terms of their economic and political issues and it has played a part in the series getting canceled.
As there have been power shortage in the country, hosting day-night games are going to be difficult moving forward. Also, Cricket Australia has been looking into the situation in Sri Lanka as their national team is scheduled to tour the Island nation for two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is later this year. It will also be followed by the Asia Cup and Sri Lanka will have to come up with backup plans to maintain its international schedule.
Sri Lankan board wants to start their league a week ago: PCB director
Pakistan Cricket Board director noted Sri Lanka board requested to cancel the ODIs so that they can schedule the Lanka Premier League in the meantime which will be a boost amid the financial crisis. He added that the final schedule of the Pakistan tour to Sri Lanka will be updated soon. Due to the current situation in Sri Lanka, the board has also decided on UAE as the backup venue for Lanka Premier League.
“Sri Lankan board wants to start their league a week ago to reduce the financial deficit, so they asked us to remove the ODI series, which was accepted,” PCB Director Media Sami-ul-Hasan Burney said as quoted by Cricketpakistan.
“Since the ODIs were not part of the World Cup Super League, we did not object. The final schedule of the series is still being discussed and will be released soon,” he added.
