Pakistan’s cricketing isolation can end in October

MELBOURNE - Pakistan can come out of cricketing isolation in October if Sri Lanka, who were targeted in a deadly terror attack in Lahore two years ago, agree to tour the troubled country.

Sri Lanka officials said they were in talks with the International Cricket Council’s Pakistan Task Team (PTT) to explore the possibilities.

“We are still discussing the option with the ICC and with all the other board members,” said Sri Lanka Cricket chairman Somachandra de Silva.

“There are still some security concerns in Pakistan but if things improve, and Pakistan is a brotherly nation, we can consider it - all depends on the ICC’s clearance,” FOX Sports quoted De Silva, as saying.

Sri Lanka is scheduled to tour Pakistan in October this year under the Future Tests Programme.

According to reports in the Pakistan media, the governments of both countries are already in talks to hold the series in Pakistan.

The attacks on the Sri Lanka team bus on March 9, 2009, killed eight people and injured seven Sri Lanka players as well as their assistant coach, leading to the suspension of all international cricket in Pakistan.

Barely a month later, the ICC stripped Pakistan of their share of ICC World Cup matches, forcing the team to play all their Group A matches in Sri Lanka, co-hosts with India and Bangladesh.

The suspension also meant Pakistan has been forced to play their home series in the United Arab Emirates, England and New Zealand for the last two years. (ANI)