LAHORE T20I

Nic Pothas and physio join seven players in Lahore no-show

by Rex Clementine • Last updated on

Alongside Pothas, another member of the support staff, Nirmalan Dhanabalasingham has also pulled out. © Getty

Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas has joined seven players in not going to Pakistan for the one off T-20 International in Lahore scheduled on October 29. A fortnight ago, 40 contracted players had handed Sri Lanka Cricket President Thilanga Sumathipala a letter indicating their reluctance to travel to Lahore.

Soon the board officials flew down to UAE to begin discussions with players and although six players in the ODI squad in UAE softened their stance, seven others insisted on not going on the trip. That eventually made them ineligible for the entire T20 series as Sumathipala had told Cricbuzz that one squad will play the entire series.

The players who pulled out from the Lahore game are - captain Upul Tharanga, Lasith Malinga, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Chamara Kapugedera, Milinda Siriwardene and Akila Dananjaya. Kapugedera and Lakmal were in the team bus when armed terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan bus in Lahore in March 2009.

Former captain Angelo Mathews, who is injured wasn't considered along with Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne, who haven't been in Sri Lanka's T20 squad in recent times. "Nic has informed the board that he is definitely not going to Lahore. The physiotherapist Nirmalan Dhanabalasingham has also indicated that he is not going while the trainer Nic Lee is still contemplating what to do. But six other support staff including myself are definitely going," Sri Lanka's Cricket Manager Asanka Gurusinha told Cricbuzz.

SLC CEO Ashley de Silva was having negotiations with the coaching staff and the board sources told Cricbuzz that batting coach and former captain Hashan Thilakaratne is one of the options to take over the coaching assignment in the absence of Pothas.

When asked about his availability for Lahore game after the third ODI in Abu Dhabi, Pothas had said that he was still contemplating what to do. It is believed that Pothas had initially agreed for the tour after Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur spoke to him and Gurusinha about security in Lahore. However, he has withdrawn after discussions with his family back in England. Pothas is a former South African wicketkeeper-batsman.

© Cricbuzz

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