Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed gratitude to Pakistan after the country agreed to play against India in the ongoing T20 World Cup in Colombo. Following the announcement, Dissanayake posted on the X platform, saying he was delighted that the much-anticipated India-Pakistan match would take place as scheduled and thanked Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his cooperation.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath also extended appreciation to Pakistan’s leadership, government, and foreign ministry for positively considering Sri Lanka’s request. He thanked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and sports authorities for their support, describing the decision as a reflection of sportsmanship, friendship, and the strength of bilateral relations between the two nations.

Earlier, Pakistan’s government said it reviewed formal requests from the Bangladesh Cricket Board and supportive messages from Sri Lanka, the UAE, and other member countries before withdrawing its decision to boycott the India match, aiming to ensure an effective resolution to recent challenges.