Colombo: Srilankan cricket team kicked off their tour of Pakistan in the second ODI being played at National Stadium of Karachi after the first ODI was abandoned due to rain.Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first.
After top Lankan cricketers opted out of upcoming tour of Pakistan over security fears, Sri Lanka cricket board announced the second string squads for ODI and T20I series. Earlier, the likes of Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Janith Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Thisara Perera, Akila Dhananjaya, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Suranga Lakmal, Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne had opted out of tour while Kusal Mendis was not available for selection due to an injury.
Sri Lanka will tour Pakistan for three ODIs and as many T20s in September-October 2019, while World Test Championship matches have been moved to December.Karachi's National Stadium will host the ODI series beginning September 27, while the three T20Is will be played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, the first of which will be played on October 5.
According to the original programme, Pakistan was scheduled to host Sri Lanka for two World Test Championship matches in October before Sri Lanka returned for three ODIs and three T20Is in late December.
Their last Test appearance dates back to March 2009, also the last time a Test series was hosted in Pakistan.When Srilankan team was airlifted by Helicopter after a bus attack on srilankan players.The two teams will contest in a two-match Test series in December as a part of the ongoing World Test Championship.(UNI)