Pakistan has ramped up security measures for Sri Lanka’s cricket team amid heightened concerns following a suicide bombing in Islamabad that killed 12 and injured 36 people earlier this week. The government has deployed army and paramilitary troops to safeguard the visiting players and their venues, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told parliament on Thursday.
Sri Lanka, currently in Pakistan for a three-match ODI series, will also compete in a T20 tri-nation series alongside Zimbabwe and the hosts. Originally, some matches were scheduled for Lahore, but after the attack, all fixtures have been moved to Rawalpindi — both for logistical and safety reasons.
Field Marshal Asim Munir personally assured Sri Lankan Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon of the visiting team’s security, reinforcing Pakistan’s commitment to player safety. The Sri Lanka Cricket Board confirmed that while some players had expressed a desire to return home, the team was instructed to stay after Pakistani authorities guaranteed “foolproof” security.
The bombing outside an Islamabad court was one of the deadliest in years, reviving grim memories of the 2009 Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan team that halted international cricket in Pakistan for nearly a decade. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared that the country was now in a “state of war” against militants blamed for the attack.
In a statement, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the tri-nation T20 series — a crucial preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup — will begin on November 18, featuring Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, entirely hosted in Rawalpindi.
“The decision to revise the schedule was made in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket and Zimbabwe Cricket, following mutual discussions to accommodate operational and match requirements,” the PCB said.
With unprecedented security protocols in place, Pakistan hopes to reassure the international cricket community of its readiness and commitment to safely hosting global sporting events despite rising regional threats.
