Sri Lanka's limited-overs captain Upul Tharanga is one of the players who has expressed concern about the trip to Lahore. Francois Nel / Getty Images
Sri Lanka's limited-overs captain Upul Tharanga is one of the players who has expressed concern about the trip to Lahore. Francois Nel / Getty Images
Sri Lanka's limited-overs captain Upul Tharanga is one of the players who has expressed concern about the trip to Lahore. Francois Nel / Getty Images
Sri Lanka's limited-overs captain Upul Tharanga is one of the players who has expressed concern about the trip to Lahore. Francois Nel / Getty Images

Sri Lanka Cricket defers naming T20 squad after players express Lahore security concern


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

Pakistan T20 series squad

Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has delayed naming its squad for the three-match Twenty20 international series against Pakistan after a majority of the players expressed reluctance to play the final game, in Lahore on October 29, due to security concerns.

The first two matches will be held in Abu Dhabi on October 26 and 27.

Anticipating the possibility of a handful of players pulling out, SLC had decided to announce a provisional 22-player squad on Tuesday and a final list of 15 on Friday. But with a majority having expressed concerns, it has instead opted to name the final squad on Friday, by which time it hopes to guarantee 15 players willing to make the trip.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are involved in an ongoing bilateral series, which also includes two Tests and five one-day internationals. With the exception of the final T20, all the matches had been slated to be played across the Emirates.

Sri Lanka swept the two-Test series this month, but they trail their south-Asian rivals 2-0 in the ODIs.

Upul Tharanga, Sri Lanka's limited-overs captain, is one of SLC's 40 contracted players to have signed a letter addressed to the board expressing hesitation to travel to Lahore because of security concerns.

PCB's Lahore game promotion

The Sri Lankans are concerned, understandably because it was their team bus that came under attack by militants at Lahore in 2009. It took six years for an international series to be held in Pakistan, with Zimbabwe being outplayed by the hosts in all three ODIs and two T20s.

Asanka Gurusinha, the Sri Lanka manager, is quietly confident some players will change their minds given the Pakistan Cricket Board has provided a security clearance report.

“SLC will be speaking to most of the players to find the best way to handle it,” he said after the second ODI in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

“It seems like we will be there in Lahore only for 24 hours. We are flying in and flying out. The security [question] has been cleared. The team will seriously look at it and I am hopefully players will look at favourably.”

______________

Read more

Paul Radley: Sri Lanka have shattered Pakistan's invincibility in UAE

Amith Passela: Sri Lanka can 'take momentum forward on all formats'

______________

In a separate development, the SLC's executive committee has revised the suspension it imposed on Danushka Gunathilaka, clearing the way for the opener to return in time for the T20s.

Gunathilaka, 26, was suspended for six International matches and fined 20 per cent of his Annual Contract fee for misconduct during their home series against India last month.

The revised suspension comes after an appeal from Sinhalese Sports Club, for whom he plays in the country’s Premier League, making him eligible to play for his country when the fourth ODI gets underway in Sharjah on Friday.

Meanwhile Pakistan on Tuesday recalled left-arm paceman Mohammed Amir and all-rounder Mohammed Hafeez to their 16-man squad for the T20s.

Amir suffered a shin injury during the second Test in Dubai but has been recalled following rehabilitation.

Sarfraz Ahmed, who led Pakistan in both the Tests and ODIs, will captain them in the shortest format.

  • Subscribe to iTunes to download all of The National's Extra Time podcasts
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

The bio

His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell

His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard

Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece

Favourite movie - The Last Emperor

Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great

Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos

 

 

DC%20League%20of%20Super-Pets
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Jared%20Stern%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Dwayne%20Johnson%2C%20Kevin%20Hart%2C%20John%20Krasinski%2C%20Keanu%20Reeves%2C%20Olivia%20Wilde%2C%20Kate%20McKinnon%2C%20Jameela%20Jamil%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

List of alleged parties
  • May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
  • 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
  • Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson 
  • Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
  • Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters 
  • Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
  • Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party 
The%20Beekeeper
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDavid%20Ayer%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJason%20Statham%2C%20Josh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Emmy%20Raver-Lampman%2C%20Minnie%20Driver%2C%20Jeremy%20Irons%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla

Verdict:  Three stars 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated

Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet

Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday

Pakistan T20 series squad

Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin