CA rejects playing Tests against Sri Lanka before white-ball series

Australia are scheduled to visit Sri Lanka for an all-format series starting June 7. The 35-day long tour consists of three T20Is, five ODIs, and two Tests. However, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has suffered a huge setback just less than a month ahead of the beginning of this highly-anticipated bilateral series.

It has been reported that Cricket Australia (CA) has clearly denied playing the Test matches before the limited-overs leg of the upcoming tour. With CA refusing at the very last minute, SLC has found itself in a precarious situation after the country’s situation has worsened due to the shortage of fuel and power due to the political and financial crisis that the island nation has been battling since the last few months.

We will be taking a call in the next few days: SLC secretary

“We will be taking a call in the next few days on how to hold the white-ball games,” SLC secretary Mohan de Silva told Cricbuzz confirming CA’s rejection of its proposal to hold the Test upfront so that it could be in a position to circumvent the fuel crisis.

The report further adds that Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had recently made a statement saying the country was left with a petrol stock of only 24 hours. Television footage of long queues outside the fuel stations has been going viral on social media.

SLC would be hoping that things fall in place at the earliest as their Asia Cup hosting rights are in jeopardy. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that they would be sending their players to the ‘Emerald Island’ for a two-match Test series in late July-August.

Such has been the adverse effect of the economic crisis in the country that the telecast of the ongoing IPL 2022 has been stopped completely over there. Apart from that, the restless citizens have also been protesting against the ruling government which has affected the day-to-day lives in Sri Lanka.