Pakistan-Sri Lanka one-day series faces cancellation

A three-match one-day series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which was supposed to be held in Kuala Lumpur in the last week of May, is likely to be cancelled due to lack of sponsorship. According to a report in The Nation, a Pakistan daily, the Malaysian Cricket Council (MCC) has already paid US$ 50,000 to each team, while ESPN has bought the telecast rights, but the Malaysian board is now struggling to get corporates to sponsor the event.

The cricket authorities in Kuala Lumpur are also plagued by lack of infrastructure. Malaysia have hosted two major cricketing events in the past - the ICC Trophy in 1997 and the Commonwealth Games the next year. However, both were held on matting pitches; the ICC now stipulates that all matches of international stature should be held on turf wickets or on portable drop-in tracks.

The Pakistan team is scheduled to leave for Kuala Lumpur on May 22 - and the first match is slated for May 27 - but due to the current uncertainty, no squad has been named so far. With many of their first-choice players busy with county duty, this would have been a good opportunity for them to test their reserve strength. However, with the tournament appearing to be a non-starter, Pakistan's first-class stars might have to wait a little longer for a taste of international cricket.