Two Sri Lankan Players Return From Pakistan Amidst Security Concerns
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka and Asitha Fernando will return home from Pakistan due to illness.
Published : November 18, 2025 at 9:59 AM IST
Hyderabad: Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka and pacer Asitha Fernando will return home midway on the tour to Pakistan and ahead of the T20I tri-series. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that both of their players are leaving the tour due to illness. The withdrawal from both players comes at a moment when the squad has been on alert after a recent bomb blast in Islamabad that triggered concerns amongst the players.
After the reports of some Sri Lankan players playing bilateral series in Pakistan expressed their desire to leave the country, security concerns surfaced last week. SLC had issued a firm warning to take disciplinary action against the members who left the tour. The board also made it clear in their statement that the team is in a secure environment and the series will go ahead as planned.
Sri Lanka Tour of Pakistan 2025 #PAKvSL
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) November 17, 2025
▫️ Two Players Returning Home
Captain Charith Asalanka and fast bowler Asitha Fernando, both suffering from illness, will return home.
The two players will not take part in the upcoming tri-series featuring Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and… pic.twitter.com/71Z3RVQPQW
On the backdrop of this context, SLC has clarified that the duo is being released solely on the basis of medical grounds and not for security issues. The board also stressed the fact that the decision comes as both players need proper medical and rest.
“Captain Charith Asalanka and fast bowler Asitha Fernando, both suffering from illness, will return home. The two players will not take part in the upcoming tri-series featuring Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe. This precautionary decision ensures they receive proper care and sufficient time to recover ahead of future assignments.”
Dasun Shanaka will lead the squad in the absence of Asalanka, and Pavan Rathnayake has been drafted into the squad as a replacement.
The tour has already witnessed some changes due to security concerns. The second ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was set to be played on November 13 in Rawalpindi, but it was pushed back by a day, and the match was played on November 14. The third ODI of the series was also rescheduled to November 16 from November 15.
Also, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) pushed back the first match of the tri-series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe from November 17 to November 18.
