Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva has said that he was 'fed up' at not being able to step out during the Pakistan tour due to rigid security arrangements.
Sri Lanka performed impressively in the recently-concluded tour to Pakistan. The visiting side may have conceded a 2-0 defeat in the ODIs, but made a remarkable comeback in the shortest format as they whitewashed Pakistan 3-0.
This was Sri Lanka's first tour to Pakistan since 2009 when a terrorist attack on the visiting side put a halt to the international action in the country. The series was conducted peacefully this time as Pakistan Cricket Board ensured strict measures on security of the players.
Sri Lanka are scheduled to return to Pakistan in December for a two-match Test series, but the board's president Shammi Silva doesn't inspire optimism with his comments on the same. After the Sri Lankan players returned home, Silva insisted that the security arrangements throughout the duration of the tour were overbearing at times.
"Pakistan are very happy and grateful to Sri Lanka for sending the team. But we have to assess and see whether it is viable to play Test matches there because they are of five days duration and the players have to be inside the hotel. I got fed up staying inside the hotel for about 2-3 days. We have to think about the players and support staff and how it will affect them," Silva said, as per a report from Sri Lanka's national newspaper, Daily News.
"The roads are closed. The process takes about half an hour to close the roads and they won’t allow you to move. It’s not easy, mentally it’s tough. We owed something to Pakistan because they’ve always helped us. We were able to bear it up for the sake of Pakistan but how much can you bear?
"They have to go shopping and go out and eat somewhere. They have biological needs. So they have to go out and see the world. They cannot stay in their rooms. So we have to talk to them," said the SLC President.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is said to be disappointed with Silva's comments, according to Pakistan's national newspaper The News.
