Sri Lanka likely to visit Pakistan soon

.The Express Tribune on Sunday quoted the Sri Lankan president saying that they were ready to send the Sri Lankan national team to the troubled country.However, he made it clear that it was up to the respective boards to sort out the dates and other details for the itinerary, and the government of Sri Lanka has nothing to do with it.We are ready to take the initiative in this and will be happy if international cricket resumes in Pakistan, said Rajapaksa, who entertained the foreign media at a reception on Saturday night.Sri Lanka was the last team to visit Pakistan back in March 2009, when their team bus was attacked by militants on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, to play the third day of the second Test against the hosts.At least eight people, including six local police men, were killed while six Sri Lankan players, including their coach, were injured in the attack.he minivan carrying the match officials – Simon Taufel, Steve Davis, Nadeem Ghauri, Ahsan Raza – was also attacked. The driver of the minivan was killed at the spot, while the officials remained safe.Since then Pakistan has become a “no go zone” for international cricket teams. In the aftermath of the disgraceful incident, the country also lost its hosting rights for the 2011 Cricket World Cup, which was scheduled to be hosted by all the four South Asian cricket playing nations – Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. But it was held in the last three countries only, as the international cricketers refused from visiting Pakistan.Since then Pakistan cricket team has been playing its home series on neutral venues of England, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).The Pakistan Cricket Board has been trying hard to bring international cricket back to the country without success. Bangladesh cricket team was scheduled to tour the troubled country earlier this year, but the tour was cancelled out almost a week before the scheduled dates of the short limited overs series.