COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan member of parliament has accused India of imposing unclear conditions around the upcoming T20 World Cup, warning that the uncertainty is causing significant financial losses for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector.
Speaking to local media, Sujith Sanjaya Perera said hotels and travel operators were facing cancellations as fans who had planned to watch the high-profile Pakistan–India match reconsider their trips.
He said the political atmosphere surrounding cricket was damaging regional sporting ties and urged stakeholders to keep politics separate from the game.
Perera recalled the 1996 Cricket World Cup, when Pakistan travelled to Sri Lanka despite security concerns, saying regional cooperation had helped preserve the tournament at the time.
Separately, Sri Lanka Cricket has formally written to the Pakistan Cricket Board, urging Islamabad to reconsider its decision to boycott the match against India. Sri Lankan media reported that the board warned of wider economic fallout, including reduced tourist arrivals and losses to the hospitality sector.
Officials familiar with the matter said Sri Lanka had completed preparations for hosting Pakistan’s fixtures in Colombo and had already sold a large number of tickets before the boycott announcement.
Pakistan’s decision followed changes to parts of the tournament schedule amid security concerns, prompting Islamabad to express solidarity with Bangladesh and decline participation in the India fixture.
Tourism industry representatives in Sri Lanka said uncertainty surrounding the match had led to hotel booking cancellations and disrupted travel plans, adding pressure to a sector still recovering from recent economic challenges.
Cricket authorities across the region are continuing consultations in an effort to stabilise the tournament calendar.
