Sri Lanka A Cricket Team Leaves Pakistan Tour Midway Due to Political Protests

Sri Lanka A cricket team has decided to return home midway through their ongoing series against Pakistan Shaheens due to escalating political protests in Islamabad. The situation prompted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to postpone the final two 50-over matches of the series.

The remaining games were originally scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi on Wednesday and Friday. However, the rising tensions in the region left both boards with no choice but to defer the matches. The PCB announced that discussions with SLC would continue to finalize new dates to complete the series.

The decision follows Pakistan Shaheens’ dominating performance in the first match on Monday, where they defeated Sri Lanka A by 108 runs in Islamabad.

Protests Lead to Security Concerns

The political unrest stems from a protest march organized by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party, led by former prime minister and cricket legend Imran Khan. The march, which began on Sunday, has seen significant clashes between protestors and law enforcement agencies in Islamabad. Reports of violence and disruption have added to security concerns in the area.

Pakistan’s federal interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the chairman of the PCB, confirmed that the army had been deployed to control the situation. Despite these measures, the uncertainty surrounding the protests has made it difficult to ensure the safety of players and staff.

The PCB and SLC have assured fans that efforts will be made to reschedule the postponed matches and complete the series at a later date.