The Pakistan government has handed over the security of the Sri Lankan team to the country’s Military forces after the visitors agreed to continue the tour on the intervention of Army chief Asim Munir in the wake of a bomb blast in Islamabad.

PCB chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, confirmed to the press on Thursday (November 13) night that state level security is now being provided to the touring team.

Addressing the media in Rawalpindi, Naqvi also acknowledged that the Sri Lankan government and board had shown great support for Pakistan cricket by continuing with the tour.

He confirmed that some Sri Lankan players wanted to return home due to security concerns after the terror attack in Islamabad.

"The positive outcome was only achieved through sustained engagement between Pakistani and Sri Lankan leadership," Naqvi said.

He also revealed that Army chief Munir had assured Sri Lankan Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon of the team's safety.

"The Field Marshal himself spoke to the Sri Lankan Defence Minister and Secretary and I am grateful the players showed great bravery to decide to remain in Pakistan," he added.

Naqvi shared that he himself had held a long meeting with the Sri Lankan players to assure them their safety and well being was the responsibility of the Pakistan government.

"They had many concerns, but we tried to allay all of those," Naqvi said, highlighting that Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake spoke with his country's team to convince them.

The remaining two ODIs of the Pakistan versus Sri Lanka series have now been pushed back a day. The matches will be played on November 14 and 16, when they had been scheduled for November 13 and 15.

Pakistan won the first ODI in Rawalpindi by a narrow margin of six runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

(With PTI Inputs)