Pakistan will host its Asia Oceania Group I Davis Cup tennis tie in Sri Lanka after opponents China refused to visit the violence-hit country over security fears, according to reports.
The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) said on Friday (8) that they had hoped the country's strong economic links with China would help convince officials to bring the competition to Lahore but will now shift the tennis duel to Colombo due to security reasons.
“It's disappointing to note that International Tennis Federation has rejected our appeal of playing the tie in Pakistan and we are now forced to host it in Sri Lanka,” an official of PTF, Khalid Rehmani had told reporters.
The tie will be played from March 4 to 6 at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts in Colombo.
Pakistan, who have not hosted a home tie since 2005, are back in Group I for the tournament for the first time since 2006, while China clung onto their place with a relegation play-off win over Thailand in September last year.
This will be the sixth head-to-head meeting between the two teams, with China winning their last one 5-0 back in 2006.
The winner will face seeded Uzbekistan for a chance to reach the World Group play-offs.
The UK government has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries which allows for more garments manufactured in Sri Lanka to enter the UK tariff-free.
Read these and more on tomorrow’s edition of the Sunday Times
Cabinet has approved the appointment of Commodore (retired) M.B.N.A. Premaratne of the Sri Lanka Navy, as the new Commissioner General of Excise.
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