A suicide bombing in Islamabad on November 11, 2025, that killed 12 people nearly derailed the Pakistan-Sri Lanka ODI series just hours before the first match in Rawalpindi, prompting eight Sri Lankan players to initially decide to fly home. The blast, claimed by a splinter group of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), struck a busy market near diplomatic enclaves, heightening fears among the touring squad already haunted by the 2009 Lahore attack on their team bus. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed the players’ concerns but held off on an immediate withdrawal while urgent talks began between the two boards and governments. The incident threatened to undo years of Pakistan’s painstaking efforts to convince international teams that the country is safe for cricket.

Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, personally intervened, speaking directly to Sri Lanka’s defence minister and secretary to provide “full security assurances”, according to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Simultaneously, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed the team via video call, urging them to stay and emphasising the importance of the tour for bilateral relations. After hours of deliberation, SLC issued a late-night statement confirming the series would proceed, with enhanced protection including commando units, drone surveillance, and armoured transport. The first ODI went ahead on November 12 under unprecedented security, with Sri Lanka posting 247 before Pakistan chased it down in 47.2 overs for a seven-wicket victory.

On November 13, Naqvi visited the Sri Lankan team during their training session at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, greeting players with folded hands—a traditional gesture of gratitude and respect widely shared on social media. “They had many concerns, but we tried to allay all of those,” Naqvi later told the Senate, praising the visitors’ “great bravery” in staying. He revealed that the PCB had worked round-the-clock with intelligence agencies to neutralise any follow-up threats, ensuring the second ODI scheduled for November 14 would also take place as planned. The PCB chief’s gesture was seen as both personal and symbolic, acknowledging Sri Lanka’s trust in Pakistan’s security apparatus.

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The episode underscores the fragile state of international cricket in Pakistan, where full bilateral tours resumed only in 2019 after a decade of isolation following the 2009 attack. Sri Lanka, as the first major team to return that year, holds special significance, and their decision to stay reinforces a hard-won narrative of resilience. For the PCB, avoiding cancellation prevented not just sporting embarrassment but a potential domino effect on future series, including England’s planned white-ball tour in 2026. Security officials have since increased vigilance across Rawalpindi and Karachi, the venue for the third ODI on November 17.

With the series now secured, attention shifts back to the cricket, where Pakistan leads 1-0 and aims to clinch the trophy before a T20I leg. Yet the broader message—from Naqvi’s folded hands to Munir’s direct diplomacy—is clear: in Pakistan, hosting international sport remains as much a security operation as a sporting event. For Sri Lanka, the decision to stay is a quiet act of solidarity; for Pakistan, it is a lifeline in its long journey back to the global cricket map.

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