Attack on SriLankan cricketers in Pak

Now, what exactly should we make of this.
To say that i am shocked is an understatement.
And it somehow makes me feel great that India avoided touring Pakistan !

Here's the info -

https://content-usa.cricinfo.com/pakvsl/content/current/story/393212.html

SL cricketers injured in terror attack

Cricinfo staff

March 3, 2009

Terror struck at the heart of cricket when masked gunmen attacked the bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Five cricketers, including Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain, and his deputy Kumar Sangakkara, received minor injuries. The attack also left six security men and two civilians dead.

Ijaz Butt, the PCB chief, said the Test has been called off. Salman Tasheer, the Punjab governor, said a helicopter will soon evacuate the Sri Lankan players from Gaddafi Stadium and take them to a nearby airbase from where the team will fly back to Sri Lanka. Duleep Mendis, the Sri Lanka Cricket chief, said that they were "getting the team back [to Sri Lanka] today".

There have been terror strikes on the peripheries of cricket, but this is the first time players have been directly targeted. The Sri Lankans were on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium when their bus was attacked by five armed terrorists near Liberty market. Habibur Rehman, chief commissioner of police, said 12 masked terrorists fired at the Sri Lankan team bus. The gunmen shot at the wheels of the bus and also injured the driver. A grenade was also thrown at the bus but it missed. The others players injured are Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana.

"The bus came under attack as we were driving to the stadium, the gunmen targeted the wheels of the bus first and then the bus," Mahela Jayawardene told Cricinfo. "We all dived to the floor to take cover. About five players have been injured and also Paul Farbrace [a member of the support staff], but most of the injuries appear to be minor at this stage and caused by debris."

Sri Lanka's sports minister Gamini Lokuge said Farbrace and Samaraweera were hospitalised while the others have been discharged. "Mahela and the other three had very minor injuries and they have already reached their hotel," Lokuge said.

The reserve umpire Ahsan Raza was also injured in the attack. Nadeem Ghauri, the TV umpire, who was traveling in a bus behind the Sri Lanka team bus said the firing continued for some time. Umpire Steve Davis, who was on the team bus, called the terrorist attack "terrible". "I'm lost for words," he said.

Speaking from Sri Lanka, Sanath Jayasuriya said that it was an "extremely unfortunate incident. "We've never had this kind of problem," Jayasuriya told CNN-IBN. "They are all safe, that's the good news I got when I spoke to Kumar. I don't they they'll stay back and play. I think they will come back as soon as possible. Depends on the injuries."

The Sri Lankan team had stepped in after the Indian government had barred the Indian team from touring Pakistan after the terror attack in Mumbai.

I m glad that Indian govt barred its players from playing in Pakistan. India s stand is justified ! This deplorable incident only goes to prove the total failure of govt machinery in Pakistan. They fail to protect their own territory,& citizens . How can anyone expect them to ensure any security for forigners. Pakistan is fully controlled by the terrorist grps in their country

the attack is unfortunate! its so so sad :( thank god no cricketer was killed... but this will have a huge impact on the world of cricket... n might also affect WC 2011 which is to held in Asia... umm its amazing how 12 ppl attackd the bus..i mean why was the bus not bullet proof :S i see a dark future for cricket in pak... i mean who will go ther? as it is no one was goin n now this..very sad...


i rememeber ther was a topic abt this before on this forum...when india cancelled its tour of pak after 26/11...n many ppl here said.. Oh india shud have gone ahead with it...afterall why to mix cricket with this?n yes they were praising SL cricket team that they r so wonderful etc etc.. i wonder what those ppl have to say now!🤔 i said back then also n im repeating it again.. im so so glad indians cancelled the tour!

I was totally shocked by this news.Pakistan is not safe at the moment i think.😲 thank god no player is hurt .these MILLITANTS oh god..😲

Originally posted by: sonur15

I was totally shocked by this news.Pakistan is not safe at the moment i think.😲 thank god no player is hurt .these MILLITANTS oh god..😲

sonur ji,
players are hurt !
But to say the truth , i really am quite sure that the intention was not exactly to attack Sri Lanka players,nevertheless what happened was very unfortunate

HURTTTT haa i know and umpire is also hurt....im totally shocked ...

Originally posted by: clodpolish

sonur ji,
players are hurt !
But to say the truth , i really am quite sure that the intention was not exactly to attack Sri Lanka players,nevertheless what happened was very unfortunate

attack? oh yes it was not to attack them but to finish them 12 people surrounding a simgle bus carrying AK47 and using hand grenades. they really just wanted to kill them. thank god they escaped alive. but some are very much hurt. they are international cricket players. now how long are they going to take to recover. could be that they may not be able to play as before. who is gonna be responsible for that.

and yes thanks a ton that india did not go there and i dont it will go there for a very very very long time.

Originally posted by: ManaliS

the attack is unfortunate! its so so sad :( thank god no cricketer was killed... but this will have a huge impact on the world of cricket... n might also affect WC 2011 which is to held in Asia... umm its amazing how 12 ppl attackd the bus..i mean why was the bus not bullet proof :S i see a dark future for cricket in pak... i mean who will go ther? as it is no one was goin n now this..very sad...


i rememeber ther was a topic abt this before on this forum...when india cancelled its tour of pak after 26/11...n many ppl here said.. Oh india shud have gone ahead with it...afterall why to mix cricket with this?n yes they were praising SL cricket team that they r so wonderful etc etc.. i wonder what those ppl have to say now!🤔 i said back then also n im repeating it again.. im so so glad indians cancelled the tour!

agree. and it is going to affect the WC now. even india is thinking abt postponing IPL bcoz enough security for elections and IPL will not be available.

😕 SriLankans were the ones who stepped in to help pakistani cricket board when India cancelled it's pak tour. Is this how they show gratitude?

Pakistani cricket was already suffering from serious security concerns. Last month the ICC decided not to hold the 2009 Champions Trophy in Pakistan due to safety worries. Pakistan invited Sri Lanka to tour only after India's cricket team pulled out of a scheduled cricket tour on security grounds, following the Mumbai attacks. The Pakistani politician Imran Khan, a former captain of the country's cricket team, said the Sri Lankan visitors had been given inadequate protection. "This was one of the worst security failures in Pakistan," he said. "The Pakistan government guaranteed the Sri Lankan cricket team that they would provide them security."

Our correspondent says security forces will be investigating any connections to al-Qaeda and Taleban militants as well as Kashmiri jihadi groups.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari also strongly condemned the attack, and ordered an immediate investigation "so that the perpetrators are identified and their motives exposed", said a statement from his office