SL Head Coach Feels ‘Trouble-Free’ Tour Will Encourage Other Nations To Play With Pakistan

Ratnayake feels Sri Lanka's terror and trouble-free tour will encourage other cricketing nations to send their teams to Pakistan

Top Sri Lanka players including the likes of T20 skipper Lasith Malinga and former captain Angelo Mathews decided to opt-out from Pakistan tour as their families were reportedly uncomfortable with them touring the nation amid terror attack threats. Sri Lanka's interim head coach Rumesh Ratnayake feels Sri Lanka's trouble-free tour will encourage other cricketing nations to send their teams to Pakistan. "This will be a precursor for that (Test) tour (in December). I'm sure this will certainly encourage the others (SL player, who refused to travel) to take decisions, we can't enforce it on them," Ratnayake told a media conference. "They have taken a decision and we have to respect that, but certainly, if things go well, this series will be a huge thing for the future, not only for them but for all other countries to be here." The first ODI between the two teams was washed out due to rain and Ratnayake said the downpour has affected the team's training as well. "It has been raining and it has been humid today. Even before we came here the preparations were hampered by rain. "We have had only a day's training outside and today is another. The preparation hasn't been all that good but that's not going to be an excuse which I will give because they are all professional players," Ratnayake said.