LAHORE (Dunya News) – The efforts to revive international cricket in Pakistan have suffered yet another blow as Sri Lanka have refused to accept the proposed tour of Pakistan in October-November this year.

Pakistan had offered Sri Lanka to play a series of limited-overs cricket which has been turned down. Now the Test, one-day international (ODI) and Twenty20 international (T20I) series will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between the Asian rivals.

It is pertinent here to mention that Sri Lanka team were attacked by 12 militants on March, 3 2009 with AK-47 rifles, rockets and hand grenades near Liberty Square, Lahore. The cricketers were on their way to Gaddafi Stadium for third day’s play of the second Test against Pakistan.

Although no lives of the visiting team were lost despite the deadly attack, but Pakistan were deprived of international cricket afterwards owing to security concerns. The matches of 2011 World Cup that were scheduled to be played in Pakistan were also shifted.

In 2015, Pakistan hosted Zimbabwe for a series of limited-overs cricket, and conducted a successful Pakistan Super League (PSL) final in 2017 in Lahore, but teams and their respective boards are still reluctant to play cricket in Pakistan.

On the other hand, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is continuously making efforts to bring international cricket back home, and is hopeful for positive results in the near future.

According to PCB, preparations are being done in order to host World XI in September this year, and dialogues will be held with other teams to visit Pakistan afterwards.