Sri Lanka Cricket President Thilanga Sumathipala "wants his team to tour Pakistan" for the first time since its bus was attacked by gunmen in Lahore in '09, according to the BBC. Since that attack, Zimbabwe has been the only full int'l side to tour Pakistan, playing five limited-overs games in Lahore in '15. Sumathipala said, "I am keen to take my team to Pakistan. We have three Twenty20 games against Pakistan in September and we would like to play at least one in Lahore" (BBC, 8/13). REUTERS' Sudipto Ganguly reported the Int'l Cricket Council "also wants to support the tour of a World XI to Pakistan next month, subject to security clearance," for a three-match T20 series to help revive int'l cricket in the country. Sumathipala called for support for Pakistan from Asian neighbors. He said, "I call upon each one of you as members to play your role and give Pakistan the security of your support. There is always risk -- there were two attacks in London during the Champions Trophy -- but cricket continued under the security assurances of the ICC, so likewise we too must be as accommodating and understanding as possible with our members and extend our fullest support to them as the cricketing family of Asia" (REUTERS, 8/14).
