PCB says committed to 'provide complete safety and security' to Sri Lanka

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said Wednesday it "reiterates its commitment to provide complete safety and security to" Sri Lankan cricket team.

The PCB issued its own statement following the Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) press release, wherein the latter announced it would reassess the security situation in Pakistan after receiving a warning from its Prime Minister's office of a "possible terrorist threat".

The PCB said: "We have seen the SLC statement, but are not privy to any information or intelligence report relating to safety of the SL team.

"The PCB reiterates its commitment to provide complete safety and security to the SL side and in this relation will continue to work with the SLC," it added.

Earlier, the SLC said it had sought the Sri Lankan government's assistance to conduct a reassessment of the security situation in Pakistan ahead of the national team’s planned tour for the September series.

“The decision was taken following a warning, the SLC received from the Prime Minister’s Office, sent via the Ministry of Telecommunication, Foreign Employment and Sports,” the statement said.

“Accordingly, the warning highlights that the Prime Minister’s Office has received reliable information of a possible terrorist threat on the Sri Lankan team, while touring Pakistan,” it added.

As per the press release, the SLC was advised to take extreme care and "reassess" the situation before embarking on the much-anticipated tour.

The SLC's statement once again threw the possibility of the Sri Lankan cricket team's tour to Pakistan under doubt.

The Sri Lankan cricket team was scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on September 25 to play a series of three one-day international (ODIs) matches in Karachi and three Twenty20 matches (T20Is) in Lahore.

Earlier, when the SLC had announced the tour squads, it said its top 10 cricketers had decided to pull out of the visit.

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