Pakistan appreciates bravery and support of Sri Lankan players

By Brian Thomas

 

It was heartening to note that the Pakistani cricketers thanked Charith Asalanka’ and his team for staying back and complete the ODI series , and the T 20 tri series with Zimbabwe, as the replacement for Afghanistan who refused to tour due border conflicts.

 

Sri Lanka players were concerned about player safety after a Suicide attack in Islamabad, but SLC , directed the players to remain in Pakistan and complete the tour after PCB gave the assurance of player safety.

 

Security has been tightened around the team hotel , taking into consideration the 2009 incident in which the team bus taking Sri Lanka to the venue came under a direct attack by a terrorist group.

 

Now bygones are bygones, Rashid Latiff the former Pakistan captain at a press conference had stated that they supported Sri Lanka during the dark days back in 1990 , and 1996 world cup.

 

It’s not pay back time , that Sri Lanka should oblige because cricketers safety is more important than cricket period.

 

I would like to remind Rashid Latiff, that Sri Lanka was the first team to tour Pakistan after they were isolated by the rest of the Cricket playing nations , so basically it’s not pay back time for Sri Lanka, but our close relationship with Pakistan.

 

Sri Lanka Cricket must be given credit for their kind gesture in directing their players to stay calm and complete the series , thereby protecting Pakistan Cricket from embarrassment was the Quote from the PCB.

 

Let’s look at the possibilities combination of both Pakistan and Sri Lanka , for today’s game.

 

Strong possibility that Pakistan might play an extra spinner at the cost of their four seam attack , but views from certain media publications seem to indicate why change the winning combination because the venue and the surface is the same.

 

Meanwhile Sri Lanka might in hindsight look at the 5th bowling option by bringing in an extra seamer , because the part time seam and spin of both Janith Liyanage and Charith Asalanka’ cost 66 runs , which made a big difference in the target set by Pakistan in the recently concluded ODI.

 

With 37 ducks to his name Kusal Mendis seems very unreliable as a number 3 batter , this also includes Charith Asalanka’ who is now in the unreliable list. Critics have stated that runs from Kusal Mendis’s bat must be considered a bonus , the same applies to Asalanka’ sadly.

 

It is appalling to note that 2 out in of the six batters are bonus contributers , hence according to experts who have requested to remain anonymous, Sri Lanka to be competitive seems a distant dream against quality oppositions like India , Australia, England, South Africa, and New Zealand.