KEY POINTS
- PCB Chairman announces a revised ODI schedule for Pakistan vs Sri Lanka.
- Sri Lanka Cricket assures that the team will continue the tour.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has confirmed a revised schedule for the remaining one-day international (ODI) matches between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, after security concerns arose following a deadly suicide bombing in Islamabad.
The announcement was made on X, where Naqvi expressed his gratitude to the Sri Lankan team for their decision to continue the tour despite the recent tragedy. “The spirit of sportsmanship and solidarity shines bright,” Naqvi wrote.
Grateful to the Sri Lankan team for their decision to continue the Pakistan tour 🇵🇰🇱🇰.
The spirit of sportsmanship and solidarity shines bright.
The ODI matches between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be played on 14th and 16th November in Rawalpindi.#PakistanCricket #PAKvSL— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) November 12, 2025
The revised matches will now take place on November 14 and 16, 2025, in Rawalpindi, instead of the originally scheduled dates of November 13 and 15.
This adjustment comes after a suicide bombing outside the district court in Islamabad on Tuesday, which killed 12 people and injured 27 others.
The bombing raised safety concerns among the Sri Lankan players, some of whom had initially expressed fears for their security and requested to return home.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) swiftly addressed these concerns, issuing a statement confirming that the team would continue with the tour. SLC assured that the safety concerns of the players were being actively addressed through coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and relevant authorities.
The SLC further clarified that if any player still chose to leave despite the assurance, he would be replaced, and a formal review would be conducted to assess the situation.
The statement also revealed that the Sri Lankan team management had informed the board that several players had requested to return to Sri Lanka, but SLC had engaged with the players, offering reassurances about their safety.
Pakistan won the opening ODI on Tuesday by a narrow six-run margin in Rawalpindi, with the remaining matches now rescheduled to take place at the same venue. The PCB’s efforts to ensure the continuation of the series come after a strong display of sportsmanship from both teams in the face of recent challenges.
The upcoming tri-nation series between Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe is set to continue without interruption, with Sri Lanka reaffirming their commitment to the tour despite the initial security concerns.
