File photo of Fawad Chaudhry
Pakistan's Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has made a scathing attack on India after 10 Sri Lanka players including Lasith Malinga and Angelo Mathews pulled out of their tour to Pakistan.
The Sri Lankan cricket board had given the option to its players to choose if they want to travel to Pakistan and the likes of Malinga and Mathews and Thisara Perera chose not to travel, citing security concerns.
Following the developments, Chaudhry came out and made the bold claim of India threating to boycott Sri Lankans in IPL if they travel to their neighbours.
"Informed sports commentators told me India threatened SL players they'll be ousted from IPL if they don’t refuse Pak visit,it's really cheap tactic, jingoism from sports to space is something we must condemn,cheap on part of Indian sports authorities," Chaudhry tweeted.
However, despite the pull-outs, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday said the scheduled home series against Sri Lanka will go ahead.
"We understand the situation the Sri Lankan board is facing and we know they can't force any of their players to come for the tour which still remains very important for us," said a PCB official.
"If this tour is successful, then just think on what grounds would the Sri Lankan board or even the Bangladesh cricket board not agree to play the ICC World Test Championship matches in Pakistan. Regardless of which player (s) are coming the fact is it is the Sri Lankan national team which will tour Pakistan from this month and that is what matters to the board," he added.
The Sri Lankan team will reach Karachi on September 25 and play three ODIs before going to Lahore for three T20 matches and return home on October 9.
Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Janith Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Thisara Perera, Akila Dhananjaya, Malinga, Mathews, Suranga Lakmal, Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne have opted out of tour.
Kusal Mendis was not available for selection due to an injury he suffered during the New Zealand Series.
(With inputs from PTI)
