Cric/Sports: SL Cricket Team Attacked - Shocker

Five Sri Lanka players have been injured after gunmen opened fire on the team bus in Lahore.

Lokuge added two players are receiving treatment in hospital including Samaraweera, who was shot in the thigh.

There are reports former captain Mahela Jayawardene was also hurt in the attack.

Reports also suggest five policemen were killed when the team bus was fired upon by armed gunmen 100 metres from the stadium.

"We were told that there was a shooting incident while the team was on its way to the stadium. The players have returned to the hotel," Lokuge told CNN-INB.

"Two players are still receiving treatment in hospital. Thilan Samaraweera, Ajantha Mendis, Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Thushara are those that have been injured. Samaraweera is still in hospital, he has been hit in the thigh."

The condition of the injured players is not known but Lokuge added: "We are waiting for more information and a report from the High Commission and Pakistan Cricket Board.

"We are shocked by this incident and we are worried about the players' safety. We are discussing with the other members of the cricket board about what steps to take now. In all, probability we will withdraw the team."

Unsurprisingly the Test match and the remainder of the tour to Pakistan has been abandoned.

Punjab Governor Salmaan Tahseer added: "The team is shaken, but I can confirm that there are no serious injuries to the players. None of them are critical.

"This was an organised attack. They were terrorists. They used sophisticated weapons. Five Pakistani policemen have been killed.

"Obviously the tour has been cancelled. We have arranged for the Sri Lankan players to be taken out to the airport and they will fly out of the country this afternoon."

Former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya said: "I just spoke to Kumar (Sangakkara) and the good news is everybody is safe and okay at the moment.

"Mahela Jayawardene was also injured, but they are all safe at the moment.

"When we played three one-day games there we had no problems. That is why the team went back to Pakistan again for the Test series.

"We had a good game in Karachi and then they went to Lahore where this unfortunate incident has happened.

"These are things you cannot control and the players are shocked at the moment.

"This is obviously something they haven't gone through before as a cricket team. I feel for them. It's a terrible time.

"I can't say at the moment what impact this would have on Pakistan cricket, but the priority at the moment is to see that the Sri Lankan players are safe."

International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat, responding to the terror attack, said: "We note with dismay and regret the events of this morning in Lahore and we condemn this attack without reservation.

"It is a source of great sadness that there have been a number of fatalities in this attack and it is also very upsetting for the wider cricket family that some of the Sri Lanka players and one match official have been injured in this attack.

"At this time our thoughts and prayers are with the injured people and also the families of those who have died.

"I have confirmed with both member boards that the remainder of the tour has been cancelled and we are working hard to get our match officials out of the area as safely and as quickly as possible.

"I know, also, that the Pakistan Cricket Board is working with Sri Lanka Cricket to make sure the players are flown home at the earliest opportunity."

Sri Lanka were contesting the first Test series to take place in Pakistan in 14 months.

Several teams have recently refused to tour Pakistan due to security concerns and last year's Champions Trophy was postponed over similar worries.

Sri Lanka were only in Pakistan after India had been barred by the Indian government from touring the country following the Mumbai terror attacks last November.

The incident will undoubtedly now place a huge question mark over the immediate future of international cricket in the troubled country.

Sri Lanka vice captain Kumar Sangakkara has confirmed he and his team-mates are "safe and out of danger" after gun attacks on their team bus in Lahore.

The batsman was one of five players who received shrapnel wounds when gunmen opened fire as the bus made its way to the way to the Gaddafi Stadium ahead of the third day of the second Test with Pakistan.

Sangakkara told CNN-IBN: "There are a few injuries but everyone is safe and all the players are out of danger.

"We are shocked, but apart from that everyone is okay.

"Thilan (Samaraweera) has a shrapnel wound in his leg, but he is fine.

"(Tharanga) Paranavitana had shrapnel in his chest, but thank God it wasn't very deep and just on the surface.

"I had shrapnel injuries in my shoulder, but they have all been removed and I'm okay now.

"Ajantha (Mendis) had shrapnel in his neck and scalp, but he too has had medical attention and is fine. Everyone else is perfectly all right."

Thilan Thushara was the fifth player confirmed by Sri Lanka sports minister Gamini Lokuge to have been injured.

The players are waiting to be airlifted from the stadium. A vehicle carrying match officials which was following the Sri Lankan team bus was also caught up in the attack. The driver was hit by gunfire and the officials were driven to the stadium by a policeman.

The Test was being umpired by Simon Taufel and Steve Davies while Nadeem Ghauri was the TV umpire and Chris Broad, father of England bowler Stuart Broad, was the match referee.

Former England bowler Dominic Cork, in Lahore to commentate for Pakistan TV, told Sky Sports News: "He (Broad) said it was the most frightening experience of his life. Their driver was shot and they had to ask a policeman to drive them to the stadium."

This was the first Test series to have been played in the country for 14 months.

Australia last year refused to tour Pakistan amid the unrest which followed the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

The Champions Trophy in the country was also called off, while Sri Lanka were only touring because of the breakdown in relations between Pakistan and India.