# Sri Lankan Cricket team attacked



## QC (Mar 3, 2009)

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/03/03/1235842402713.html

*Sri Lankan player tells of being hit by shrapnel in deadly attack*

The second cricket Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka has been called off after a deadly gun and grenade attack on the tourists' bus in Lahore, the Pakistan Cricket Board has announced.

One of the players, Kumar Sangakkara, said the players were injured by shrapnel, not direct gunfire.

"I had shrapnel in my shoulder ... but it was all taken out, I'm fine," he told IBN-CNN.

Ajantha Mendis had shrapnel in his back and scalp, he said.

"It's very unfortunate that this has happened.

"I don't regret coming to play cricket ... that's what we've done all our lives, that is our profession.

"I regret what's happened and the situation we've gone through.

"All we want to do is go back home to our families and be safe."

PCB chairman Ijaz Butt told reporters in Lahore: "This test match has been officially called off."

Pakistani authorities were providing helicopters to evacuate the Sri Lankan team, which announced they would return home immediately after six police officers and two civilians were killed and six players were injured in the attack on their bus convoy.

Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab province of which Lahore is the capital, told reporters: "We are going to catch these terrorists one way or the other."

The attacks unfolded as India and New Zealand played a one-day match in Napier, New Zealand.

The players involved donned black armbands in the middle of the match,  cricket website Cricinfo.com reported.

India was supposed to be touring Pakistan rather than New Zealand but called off  the tour after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which India blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

The Sri Lankan team was only in Pakistan because it had  agreed to replace India.

Former Sri Lankan cricket coach Tom Moody said he was "shocked and saddened" by the shootings, which have left some of his former players wounded.

Moody, who coached Sri Lanka from 2005-07 and now coaches Western Australia, said in a statement: "My thoughts and prayers are not only with my friends in the Sri Lankan cricket team, but with the families of everyone that has been killed or injured in today's attack."

Cricket Australia (CA) also offered its condolences.

CA chief executive James Sutherland said Australian cricket was shocked by the attack.

"Australian cricket has many friends in Sri Lanka and in Pakistan and we sincerely hope they are all safe after this awful incident,'' he said in a statement.
AAP

Sounds like Lashker e Toiba again, though no-one as yet has put their hand up.


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## digrar (Mar 4, 2009)

There goes the notion that cricketers are safe in that part of the world.


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## pardus (Mar 4, 2009)

Ain't the first time won't be the last...


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## digrar (Mar 4, 2009)

The Indians might be all excited about seeing Pakistan fall from grace, but they'll change their tune when touring teams start making noises about the whole region being unsafe.


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## SpitfireV (Mar 5, 2009)

What I've found funny is that they made noises about Kenya being unsafe and then still toured Pakistan! Pakistan is the last place in the world anyone should be playing. They should be playing only away games.


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## QC (Mar 5, 2009)

It remains to be seen how this will play out. The Pakis love their cricket, and this might just rebound on the bad guys. 
As raids go it was a failure. There's a toss up between it being a hostage scenario or a straight up execution of the team. Either way they fell short. They didn't get to their target, thank God.

Saw the news tonight and the exfil was a doddle. On CCTV, three guys ambling down the street, no fuss, just cruisin'.


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