PCB not willing to stage Sri Lanka Test series in UAE

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not willing to host their two-Test home series in the UAE during December against Sri Lanka unless Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is ready to share the expenses of staging the series abroad.

After successfully staging the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka without any security threats, Pakistan made it clear that they are not willing to bear the expenses of hosting the two-Test series against Sri Lanka in UAE. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said they would not like the Test series to be held in Pakistan as the players would then have to stay for a longer duration there to play a Test series. The objection arose after players who were part of the limited-overs series in Pakistan last month pointed out that it was tough to be confined to their hotel rooms all the time.

SLC chief Shammi Silva stated that the players and officials (that played in Pakistan) were confined to their team hotel due to security arrangements and couldn’t roam around freely. He made it clear that the Sri Lankan board would consult its players and team officials on whether they would be willing to tour Pakistan for the Test series before arriving at a final decision.

After Pakistan staged the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka in Karachi and Lahore in September-October, the PCB has been pushing the Sri Lankans to send their team for the two ICC Test Championship matches in December.

Following the development, it is understood that PCB chairman Ehsan Mani and CEO Wasim Khan, who were in Dubai for the ICC board meetings, have conveyed to Sri Lankan officials that if they (SL) insist on playing the Test series in the UAE, then they would have to bear the expenses.

Pakistan has not hosted a home Test series since March 2009 when militants attacked the touring Sri Lankan team in Lahore. The PCB is upset that despite hosting the limited-overs series successfully in Pakistan, Sri Lankan board is still insisting on having the Test series staged in UAE. Last week, England and Ireland expressed their willingness to send their teams to play in Pakistan. England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison and Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom had visited Islamabad and Lahore last week and were impressed with the security arrangements in Pakistan.