Sri Lanka boosts T20 World Cup security

Sri Lanka will deploy elite armed units to protect teams at next month’s T20 World Cup, part of enhanced security measures with a special emphasis on matches between perennial rivals India and Pakistan, officials have said.

The island is co-hosting the biennial cricket tournament with India and will hold 20 games between Feb. 7 and March 8.

The Indian and Pakistani teams will play each other at least once, in their Group A clash in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Feb. 15.

Sri Lanka has given the “highest priority” to ensuring the tournament runs smoothly and is “paying special attention to the India-Pakistan matches,” sports minister Sunil Kumara Gamage said.

Elite commando units, usually assigned to guard visiting heads of state, will be deployed to protect all participating teams, police and security officials said.

“From the time they step out of the airport till they return to their aircraft, they will be protected by armed guards,” an official said.

Cricket Secretary Bandula Dissanayake said Colombo wanted to avoid being drawn into regional disputes.

“In these disputes among India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, we are remaining neutral; all of these are friendly nations,” he said.

But he added that Sri Lanka would be willing to host future tournaments for any country if invited.

Sri Lanka has also used the T20 World Cup to upgrade its international venues.

It has commissioned new floodlights at the Singhalese Sports Club, one of two stadiums in Colombo.

The Pallekele Stadium in Kandy was unaffected by a deadly cyclone that damaged buildings in the region in November, and will host a T20 international between Sri Lanka and England from Friday.