A late-night telephone call between Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif played an important role in easing tensions and helping Pakistan agree to play
The situation had created uncertainty about whether the match would go ahead. To prevent any disruption, Sri Lanka stepped in to act as a mediator. On Sunday, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted Pakistani officials through the Sri Lankan High Commission in Islamabad and the Pakistani High Commission in Colombo. Both sides held quick discussions to find a solution.
As part of these efforts, President Dissanayake and Prime Minister Sharif spoke on the phone on Monday night. The conversation lasted for nearly 30 minutes and focused on resolving concerns and ensuring that the match could be played as planned.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath later confirmed the call and described it as a positive step. He said the talks helped build trust and cooperation between the two countries. Calling it “cricket diplomacy,” he suggested that sports can help improve relations and bring nations together.
Thanks to these diplomatic efforts, Pakistan agreed to participate in the match, allowing the much-awaited game against India to go ahead in Colombo without further issues.