By P. Karunakharan,IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka Friday confirmed that its proposed tour of Pakistan would take place as scheduled from Jan 20. Sri Lanka is replacing the Indian team which pulled out of the tour in the wake of the Nov 26 terror attack in Mumbai.
The Sri Lankan foreign ministry said the decision was taken after President Mahinda Rajapaksa discussed the proposed tour with foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama and sports minister Gamini Lokuge here Friday.
“Pursuant to this discussion, the foreign minister has recommended that the tour to Pakistan should proceed as scheduled from Jan 20 to Feb 25,” the ministry said in a statement.
India were to tour Pakistan in Jan-Feb to play three Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 match. However, the Indian government did not clear the tour in the wake of last month’s terror attacks in Mumbai, which it has blamed on Pakistan-based terrorists.
This resulted in the desperate Pakistan Cricket Board sending an invitation to Sri Lanka instead.