Aaron Finch during a training session.
The Australian men's cricket team will be landing in Sri Lanka on Wednesday, ending weeks of speculation and uncertainty. Australia are set to play three T20Is, five ODIs and two Test matches with the T20I series beginning from June 7.
Sri Lanka is currently reeling under acute political and economical crisis and there were reports that the Australian team was reluctant to go ahead with the tour. With instability in the island nation looming large, there was a cloud of uncertainty surrounding the series.
However, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) cleared the air and confirmed that the tour will proceed as per schedule.
"There is no disruption in the schedule and the white ball games will be night or day-night affairs," SLC secretary Mohan de Silva on Tuesday.
"We've been keeping in regular contact with the governments of both countries and SLC and all is good and there are no changes to the plans. The T20 squad is leaving Australia tomorrow afternoon. They're looking forward to the tour, with the three T20 games an important part of the build-up to the ICC World Cup in Australia in October-November. The squad has great respect for the Sri Lanka team and are anticipating a hard-fought and exciting series," Silva added.
In another development, the fate of the Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in August-September, will be decided depending on how the five-week Australia tour of Sri Lanka goes.
SLC officials are understood to have spoken to Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah during IPL final in Ahmedabad and it was decided that the continental event can go ahead in Sri Lanka if the Australia tour is held event-free in the troubled country. So, the ACC will monitor the series closely.
