After weeks of speculation and uncertainty, the Australian team will be landing in Sri Lanka on Wednesday (June 1) and the tour featuring three T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests will be played as per schedule.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that the white ball games, starting on June 7, will be played under lights.

“There is no disruption in the schedule and the white ball games will be night or day-night affairs,” SLC secretary Mohan de Silva on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka is currently reeling under the economic and political crisis and there have been reports in Australia that players were reluctant to tour the island nation on moral grounds if not for security concerns. But Cricket Australia (CA) said the Australian teams are looking forward to the tour which starts with a T20I series, a Cricbuzz report said.

“We’ve been keeping in regular contact with the governments of both countries and SLC and all is good and there are no changes to the plans. The T20 squad is leaving Australia tomorrow afternoon. They’re looking forward to the tour, with the three T20 games an important part of the build-up to the ICC World Cup in Australia in October-November. The squad has great respect for the Sri Lanka team and are anticipating a hard-fought and exciting series,” CA spokesman said.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the fate of the Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in August-September, will be decided depending on how the five-week Australia tour of Sri Lanka goes.

SLC officials are understood to have spoken to Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah during IPL final in Ahmedabad and it was decided that the continental event can go ahead in Sri Lanka if the Australia tour is held event-free in the troubled country. So, the ACC will monitor the series closely.

Press Release, Source: IANS