Colombo: As many as ten players of the Sri Lankan cricket team have opted out on Sri Lanka's upcoming limited-overs tour to Pakistan following a security briefing with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.
Among the names who have declined to travel to Pakistan are T20I skipper Lasith Malinga, former captains Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Thisara Perera, Akila Dhananjaya, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, and Niroshan Dickwella.
Sri Lanka are scheduled to play three ODIs in Karachi on September 27, 29 and October 3, followed by as many T20Is in Lahore on October 5, 7 and 9 during the tour, before returning in December for the Test series that will be a part of the World Test Championship.
"Former Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Marshal Air Roshan Goonetileke, who is the Chief Security Advisor of the SLC, briefed the players about the security situation in Pakistan and the security arrangements PCB plans on implementing during Sri Lanka team's tour of that country, whilst Chairman of the National Selection Panel Mr. Asantha De Mel explained about the selection policy for future tours," SLC said in their statement.
Meanwhile, Kusal Mendis also remains unavailable for selection due to the leg injury he sustained during the recently concluded T20I series against the Black Caps.
