The suicide bombing in Islamabad on Tuesday shook the cricket world. Twelve people were killed, and the first Pakistan-Sri Lanka ODI match was about to begin in Rawalpindi. The blast terrified the Sri Lankan players.
They had already planned to return home. But Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir performed a remarkable feat.
He personally spoke to top Sri Lankan officials and convinced them to continue the tour.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told the Senate that Munir spoke directly to Sri Lanka’s Defense Minister and Secretary.
Naqvi said, “Our field marshal himself spoke to their defense minister and secretary and convinced them and assured them of providing full security.”
The Sri Lankan team was reassured by this. Naqvi is also the PCB chairman, so he spoke at the board level. The Sri Lankan Cricket Board confirmed on Wednesday night that the tour would continue after high-level exchanges.
Tight security arrangements, match schedule changes
All matches of the T20 tri-series between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will now be held in Rawalpindi. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium was originally scheduled to host the match, but security concerns forced a change. The series, originally scheduled to begin on November 17th, will now begin on November 18th.
Naqvi said that the Sri Lankan players “decided to return” after the blast, but through our conversations, everyone showed courage and decided to stay.
“Our interaction with them began; their board, players, and everyone decided with great bravery to stay here,” Naqvi said.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also spoke with the players and reassured them. Pakistan has deployed heavy security for the visiting team. The Zimbabwe team has already arrived in Pakistan.
Naqvi added, “They had many concerns, but we tried to allay all of them.”
All this suggests that Pakistan has made every effort to protect cricket.
In 2009, the Sri Lankan team was also attacked in Lahore. Gunmen opened fire on the bus, injuring six players and killing eight.
Remembering that trauma, security is even tighter now. The TTP has claimed responsibility for this blast, and the Pakistani PM has pointed fingers at India and Afghanistan.
But cricket remains the focus; fans in Rawalpindi will be able to watch the matches without interruption. The PCB confirmed that the tour is safe because of Asim Munir.
