PCB seeks an explanation from SLC over Upali Dharmadasa statement regarding venues for the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Series – Cricket News Update
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 Cricket has not yet agreed to play the forthcoming series against Pakistan, in United Arab
Emirates (UAE), later this year.
"We spoke to them today and asked them about the statement by the SLC interim committee chairman Upali Dharmadasa who has said they hadn't been informed as yet about the venues for the series scheduled in October-November," a PCB official told the media
reporters.
The Pakistan cricket Board contacted the Sri Lankan counterparts and made it clear to them that PCB will not change the dates or venues for the series since it was scheduled and finalized after getting approval from the previous SLC management. The official
further added that PCB has asked the interim committee of Sri Lanka cricket board to check their records.
It was the Sri Lankan cricket team that was attacked by militants during their tour to Pakistan in March 2009, leaving a few Lankan players injured.
Since then, no international cricket team has toured Pakistan, owing to security concerns, and the Men in Green are forced to play their home series against different international teams at neutral venues, mostly in UAE.
The terrorism hit country also lost the hosting rights for the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 earlier this year.
The Pakistan cricket board official said that the higher authorities of PCB have made it clear to the interim cricket committee of Sri Lanka that they are not in a position to change the venue at this stage when they have already started making arrangements
for the series.
"We have already started to send our teams to Abu Dhabi and Dubai to start making preparations for the series in conjunction with the Emirates Cricket Board while our broadcasters have also started arrangements for the series," the PCB official stated.
The SLC interim committee’s Chairman, Upali Dharmadasa, had earlier said that they had not yet been informed of the venues for the October-November series against Pakistan, claiming that he came to know about the venue through a leading sports channel.
Dharmadasa said that they will try to convince Pakistan to host the series in Sri Lanka as it will give the Lankan cricket fans a chance to watch the matches. The Pakistan Cricket Board had earlier declined SLC’s offer to host the series in Sri Lanka as
UAE had offered them better profits.
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