Cricket tour on schedule: SL minister

Published December 25, 2008

COLOMBO, Dec 24: Dismissing media reports regarding the possible cancellation of next year’s tour of Pakistan, Sri Lanka Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge on Wednesday said that the tour by the country’s cricket team ‘was almost on as scheduled’.

Lokuge, who on Tuesday dissolved the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) interim administration led by former cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga, said that next month’s tour of Pakistan “is 90 per cent on”.

“I can tell you that our tour of Pakistan is 90 per cent on. But I am taking up the issue with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the foreign ministry to discuss mainly the security related situation there,” Lokuge said.

The SLC, however, said that it had already requested the PCB to send a report on the security situation as it had been the reason for some cricket playing nations refusing to tour Pakistan. —Agencies

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