ODIs scrapped from Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has agreed to scrap the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series from the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka at the request of the hosts.

Pakistan were scheduled to play three ODIs and two Tests during their tour in July-August this year. However, after the cancellation of the ODI series, the national team will only play two Tests, which would be part of the ICC Test Championship.

The PCB also confirmed the development, saying that the schedule for the Test series will be announced in due time.

"Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wants to start their league a week before the schedule to reduce the financial deficit, so they asked us to remove the ODI series, which was accepted," PCB Director Media Sami-ul-Hasan Burney told Business Recorder.

Cricket Australia monitor situation in Sri Lanka ahead of tour

Due to the ongoing power shortages in Sri Lanka, hosting day-night matches may not be possible. Though SLC uses its own generators, the fuel shortage is likely to become a hindrance.

On the other hand, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Tuesday they were monitoring the unrest in Sri Lanka but remain confident its team’s seven-week tour of the island will go ahead as scheduled in June and July.

Australia also announced three strong squads last month for the tour, which includes a Twenty20 series, five one-day internationals as well as two Tests in Galle. An Australia “A” team will also play four matches.

Two of the T20 matches that kick off the tour early next month are in Colombo, where the worst of Monday’s violence took place, as are three of the ODIs and two of the 'A' matches.

CA’s security chief visited Sri Lanka last month when a state of emergency was first declared and gave the all-clear for the tour.