10 Sri Lankan players opt out of Pakistan tour

Ten Sri Lankan cricketers have pulled out of an upcoming tour of Pakistan, citing security concerns.

The two sides are scheduled to play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and as many Twenty20 Internationals from September 27.

Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews and former skipper Thisara Perera are among those who’ve opted out.

The Sri Lanka Cricket Board said that players in a preliminary squad were briefed on security arrangements for the series, and given the freedom to decide if they wanted to travel.

The tour is seen as another step towards reviving international cricket in Pakistan after years of isolation following a militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus during a Test match in Lahore in March 2009.

SLC statement on the tour of Pakistan - https://t.co/AhEIQNp1aQ #SLvPAK #PAKvSL

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) September 9, 2019