Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka still on despite civil unrest, confirms PCB

The Pakistan cricket team is all set to go ahead with their upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, despite the state of emergency being declared in the island nation. The two-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan came under the scanner amid the ongoing political and economic turmoil in the country. However, as per a fresh report by Dawn, they were informed by a PCB spokesperson that the Test series will go ahead as planned. 

Speaking to Dawn, the PCB spokesperson said, “The series will go ahead as planned. The team is set to fly to Galle on Thursday and is very happy with the arrangements made by Sri Lanka Cricket. We are in touch with SLC and with the Pakistan High Commission in Sri Lanka regarding the situation”. 

The Pakistan squad recently locked horns with the Sri Lanka Cricket XI in a three-day tour game in Colombo, played against the backdrop of the ongoing massive protests in Sri Lanka due to the escalating economic crisis. Meanwhile, the two-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is scheduled to begin with the 1st Test at Galle on Saturday. It is pertinent to mention that the Lankan team wrapped up an all-format series against Australia at their home last week.

Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka 2022: Full Schedule

• Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 1st Test- July 16-20  at the Galle International Stadium
• Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 2nd Test- July 24-28  at the R. Premadasa Stadium

Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka 2022: Full Squad

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc/wk), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood and Yasir Shah

More about the ongoing political and economic turmoil in Sri Lanka

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country. He left the country and landed in the Maldives on a military aircraft with his wife and two bodyguards. It should also be noted that thousands of protestors were seen barging into Prime  Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s palace on Wednesday, which forced the military to step in and urge protestors against doing so. 

Concerns over Asia Cup 2022, scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka

In another development, reports emerging on Wednesday claimed that the Asian Cricket Council has put Bangladesh as the standby host for the upcoming Asia Cup. Sri Lanka was scheduled to host the Asia Cup 2022, which begins on August 27, but as things stand now, Bangladesh might get chosen as the new host. India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh have already sealed their spots for the Asia Cup, while teams like UAE, Nepal, Oman, and Hong Kong lock horns in the qualifiers, scheduled to begin on August 21.

(Image: @officialslc/Instagram)