The rest of the tour of Sri Lanka A Pakistan was postponed indefinitely due to mass protests in Islamabad by supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), a political party led by former Pakistan captain and prime minister Imran Khan. The two remaining 50-over matches were scheduled to be played on November 27 and 29 at the Rawalpindi cricket Ground, the international cricket stadium in Rawalpindi.
The PCB said the postponement was due to “political activities” in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board, in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket, has postponed the final two 50-over matches of the Pakistan Shaheens-Sri Lanka A series due to political activities in the federal capital,” a PCB statement said.
“The last two matches were scheduled for Wednesday and Friday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Both bodies will work together to determine new dates to complete the series,” the cricket body added.
The PCB was worried about the impact of the PTI protests on the series since last week. A few days ago, it was announced that the first one-day tournament that was scheduled to be held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground would be shifted to the Islamabad Club.
The second and third 50-over matches would have been played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground on November 27 and 29 as originally scheduled, according to the PCB. The change of venue for the first encounter was necessary as it was scheduled for November 25, a day after Imran Khan made a so-called “final call” for his supporters to march on the capital to demand, among other things, his release from the to demand prison. There were reportedly clashes and violence between protesters and police officers.
The protests have led to a standoff between Imran's supporters and the federal government. It has also caught the attention of PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the country's home minister. He said the army had been called into action to bring the situation under control.
Sri Lanka A's tour of Pakistan began earlier this month with two unofficial Test matches. Pakistan A won the first game by seven wickets before the second encounter ended in a draw. Both matches were played in Rawalpindi. In the first one-day tournament, the home team won by a margin of 108 runs. The postponement of the series is disappointing news for Pakistan, especially as it comes amid confusion over the hosting of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
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