Sri Lanka arrange Pakistan dates

8 January 2009

Sri Lanka have confirmed they will play three one-day internationals and two Tests on their tour to Pakistan.

The tour will be split over two legs, leaving a window open for Sri Lanka to host India for a one-day series.

Mahela Jayawardene’s men will arrive in Karachi on January 19 ahead of the first ODI on January 21. The second one-dayer will take place in Lahore three days later, before the final clash on January 27, after which Sri Lanka will go home.

They will return to Pakistan on February 14 and will play a three-day warm-up match starting on February 17 before the two Tests in Karachi from February 22 and in Lahore from March 2.

Duleep Mendis, Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive, said he was “still in the process of finalising the dates” for the proposed series against India.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India said it would consider a tour to Sri Lanka only after they receive a response from New Zealand Cricket on a request to include an additional Test when India tour there in March. A decision from NZC is expected at the weekend.

Sri Lanka will be the first team to play a Test in Pakistan in more than a year, and agreed to the tour after India refused to travel, citing political tensions between the two countries.