Top cricket series that were cancelled mid-way

Following the whole “West Indies pulling out of the India tour midway” fiasco, we take a look back at previous incidences, where teams pulled out, or were forced to due to extraneous circumstances, of a tour mid-way through the campaign. 

#1 Sri Lanka\'s tour of Pakistan, 2008-09

Visiting Pakistan for a cricket match has always been a task fraught with danger. Owing to political upheal and religious fanaticism, Pakistan has seen many tours being cancelled at the last-minute, with visiting countries refusing to send over players due to safety concerns.

In early 2009, Sri Lanka became the first team to accept an invitation and visit Pakistan for an ODI and Test series, following South Africa’s visit in late 2007. It seemed cricket had finally returned to Pakistan, for good.

The ODI series went ahead as planned, and Sri Lanka came up trumps 2-1. The Test series started soon after, with fans eager to watch their team make a comeback.

But the tranquility would soon be shattered during the second Test at Lahore. En route to the stadium, the Sri Lankan convoy was attacked by terrorists, with tragic results. Eight people lost their lives that fateful day, and 5 Sri Lankan cricketers, including captain Mahela Jayawardhene, Kumar Sangakkara and Ajantha Mendis, were injured in the attack.

The tour was quickly abandoned, and once again serious questions were asked – Should teams be touring a country where even cricketers are not safe from terrorist attacks?