Sri Lankan cricketers cancel Oxford University visit over security fears

London, May 30 (ANI): Security concerns have forced members of the Sri Lankan cricket team, Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Sangakkara, to cancel their visit to Oxford University.

Both the players along with team manager Brendon Kuruppu were scheduled to visit the Oxford Union debating society, but their visit was cancelled after a Times report claimed that over 20,000 Tamil civilians were killed during the final days of Sri Lanka's offensive against the Tamil Tigers, The News reports.

"This afternoon, the Sri Lankan cricket team's security advisers have informed us that, due to the heightened threat levels posed by today's Times front page, they have decided to cancel this afternoon's visit by Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara and their manager, Brendon Kuruppu," a statement issued by the Oxford Union said.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government has dismissed the Times reports saying the figures of casualties claimed by the newspaper were highly blown-up.

"The figures were 'way out'," the government said. (ANI)