16 May 2017 09:48 am
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Board President Thilanga Sumathipala has appealed to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the resumption of cricket ties between the Indian and Pakistani teams.
He made this appeal to the Prime Minister during his recent visit to Sri Lanka.
Speaking from Colombo, the SLC Board Chief said, “I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BMICH and conveyed the message to him to consider playing against Pakistan.” Sumathipala is also the Deputy Speaker of the Sri Lanka Parliament.
There has been no international cricket in Pakistan since the terrorist attack on a bus and a van carrying Sri Lankan players and ICC match-officials in March 2009.
When asked why SLC has voiced this concern, Sumathipala said: “Not only Pakistan is suffering. India is losing when Pakistan is not playing. India as much as Pakistan is losing if India is not playing.”
“Ï have requested Prime Minister Modi either to allow both teams to play in Dubai or in Sri Lanka.”
Sumathipala’s fresh offer to host the series in Sri Lanka is however, not the first one.
There was indeed a serious thought of resumption of matches between the two countries in Sri Lanka during Sidath Wettimuny’s tenure as the Interim Committee Chairman.
But the Indian Government never approved the idea.
Sumathipala also confirmed: “There is no immediate plan this year to play cricket against Pakistan in Pakistan.”