LAHORE, Dec 22: On the request of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made changes in the Islanders’ tour to Pakistan next month, replacing the lone Twenty20 game with two One-day Internationals.

The Sri Lankan squad, who are scheduled to visit Pakistan from Jan 19, will now play three Tests and five ODIs instead of three Tests, three ODIs and a Twenty20 International.

Saleem Altaf, PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, told Dawn that in the revised programme the Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore) and National Stadium (Karachi) would host two ODIs each. The second additional ODI has been allotted to the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad. Earlier, Lahore had been given two ODIs while Karachi one.

The Tests matches will be played in Lahore, Multan and Karachi.

“The PCB has sent the revised itinerary to Sri Lanka for final approval and hopefully it will be made public in the next couple of days,” he said.

While asserting that the PCB had started preparations for the home series against Sri Lanka, Saleem stressed foolproof security arrangements would be made to show the world that Pakistan was quite safe, as other countries, for the game.

Commenting on the recent statement of Haroon Lorgat, ICC’s Chief Executive, over security in Pakistan for the Sri Lanka series, Saleem said that the PCB was already in contact with the game’s world governing body over the (Sri Lanka) series.

According to a media report, Lorgat has said the ICC would assess the security arrangements in Pakistan before sending its umpires and match referee to supervise the matches there.

Hosting a successful series against Sri Lanka, Saleem noted, would also pave the way for Pakistan to hold the ICC Champions Trophy in September next year.

For this reason, he added, the ICC might be interested in monitoring the security arrangements here.

He said Pakistan was quite capable to protect the ICC umpires and referees during their stay in the country.

The official emphasised the Sri Lankan decision of sending their team to Pakistan was also a sign that the country was quite safe, adding the PCB would prove it too.

While reminding that the PCB successfully staged the Asia Cup, home contests against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe earlier this year, he said there was nothing wrong as far as the security was concerned.

Sri Lanka swiftly responded to the PCB invitation to tour Pakistan after India refused to visit the country owing to existing tense political situation between the traditional rivals.