PCB disappointed at SLC chief’s comments

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were left disappointed after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief Shammi Silva remarked that his team felt suffocated by the strict security arrangements provided by PCB during their recently concluded tour of Pakistan.

The Sri Lankan team whitewashed Pakistan in the three-match T20I series before losing the three-match ODI series by 2-0 during their tour of Pakistan this month.

After the Sri Lankan team returned to their home, SLC chief Silva reportedly told the media that the Sri Lankan players were fed up of being confined to their hotels.

“Pakistan were happy and grateful that we sent our team [Sri Lanka] over there. But we found out that even while playing limited overs cricket during the course of the tour, our players felt suffocated and I think it will be very difficult for players to play five-day cricket in such conditions. Because the players cannot go out of their hotels and streets need to be cleared half an hour before going to the ground. For that, no one could roam freely.” said Silva.

After such comments from the SLC chief, a PCB source said that the top officials of their board were disappointed at such comments and that they had communicated their disappointment with the SLC.

“The PCB is very disappointed and hurt over such comments as presidential level security was provided to the visiting on insistence of their board. We wanted to make their stay as comfortable as possible.” said the PCB source.

For PCB, who are planning on to arrange a three-match T20I series followed by a two-match Test series against Bangladesh in January next year, such comments from a neighbouring country could affect their plans.