The authorities in Pakistan are taking no chance for any lapse in security as the country is set to host Sri Lanka for the second ODI in Rawalpindi on Friday. Videos have emerged of the Sri Lankan team bus getting escorted by security vehicles to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from the hotel. The development comes in the wake of a suicide attack in Islamabad, following which players expressed desire to discontinue the series and return back to their home.
As reported by the Times of India, Pakistan's interior minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the head of the country's cricket board, informed parliament about the security measures for the match. It added that the country's army chief Asim Munir also discussed the same with Sri Lankan defence minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon.
"Our army and paramilitary are deployed for the Sri Lankan team's security," Naqvi was quoted as saying in the report.
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As reported by PTI, as many as eight Sri Lankan players had expressed serious concerns about continuing further in the series following the explosion in Islamabad. The Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) released an official statement on the matter and also threatened players with "formal review" if they still decide against continuing in the bilateral series. Subsequently, the match were postponed by a day but the venue, however, remained the same.
Meanwhile, the report in the national daily claimed that the team hotel and the stadium are located within 10 kms of the bombing site.
Here is a video of the security given to the Sri Lankan team:
Meanwhile, Naqvi also met the Lankan players and support staff a day before the clash while they were training at the stadium.
The recent developments had triggered memories of the 2009 terrorist attack on Sri Lanka team in Lahore. Six players were then injured during the attack and Pakistan were forced to host their home fixtures in UAE.
After a long absence international cricket finally returned to Pakistan and Sri Lanka's tour to the country in 2019 marked the return of Test cricket in the country.
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