Terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan National Side

Not quite breaking news any more but still big news in the world of Cricket. From Skysports.com:




Aftermath: Bullet holes in the windscreen of the Sri Lanka team bus following the attack in Lahore

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

Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana were hospitalised after the attack as the team made its way to the Gaddafi Stadium.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene, vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Suranka Lakmal and Chaminda Vaas suffered lesser injuries.

Assistant coach and former Kent batsman Paul Farbrace required treatment.

Reports also suggest five policemen were killed in the attack by armed gunmen just 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 toldCNN-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."

Unsurprisingly the Test match and the remainder of the tour to Pakistan has been abandoned. The Sri Lankan touring party were airlifted home.

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 ICC 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.

From Skysports.com




Broad: Feared for life

The terrorists had also killed our driver so we were stranded. Clearly the terrorists targeted the drivers to try and get the bus stationary. We were sitting ducks.

Chris Broad


Former England batsman and current ICC match referee Chris Broad has spoken of the terror he and his fellow officials felt as they came under attack in Lahore.

The Sri Lanka cricket team bus was fired upon by gunmen just outside the Gadaffi Stadium as they arrived for the third day of the second Test with Pakistan, and the match officials were also caught up in the violence.

As the Sri Lanka bus roared off into the stadium under attack, Broad and the match umpires and officials were stranded outside the stadium.

The driver of the bus they were in was killed in the shooting, and their vehicle was left stranded outside the stadium as bullets rained down on them.

Fourth official Ahsan Raza was shot in the back and is currently in a critical condition in hospital, and the whole ordeal was a terrifying experience for the former England international.

"It is very difficult to put it into words," said Broad. "There were five of us in the back of van all lying on floor just listening to the crack of bullets going on around us and hitting the van. Every time you heard a crack you just thought 'this bullet's for me'.

"We were unaware of what was going on outside the bus, just that our van was hit several times.

"Fortunately for myself, Simon Taufel, Steve Davis, Peter Manuel and Nadeem Ghauri (the third umpire) none of the bullets hit us. Unfortunately for Ahsan Raza, for Abdul Sami, our liaison officer, both got hit.

"The terrorists had also killed our driver so we were stranded. Clearly the terrorists targeted the drivers to try and get the bus stationary. We were sitting ducks."

Broad had raised his concerns about security in Pakistan and he fears now that international cricket will not return to the country for a very long time to come.

"I got assurances from the Pakistan Cricket Board that security would be as tight as it was for the one-day series - and I had no issues during the one-day series, it all went off according to plan - and once I got those assurances you trust them in this part of the world," he added.

"This is an unthinkable thing to have happened.

"It is just a major tragedy for the world of sport and Pakistan itself because I can't see cricket going back there, certainly in the distant future.

"I'm sure there will be a lot of discussions in the next two or three days. A lot of soul-searching by individuals - players and officials - is going to have to happen over the next few weeks.

"I feel for the cricket-loving public of this part of the world."

from skysports.com




Miandad: Angered at Broad's comments

I will urge the ICC to impose a life ban on Broad as he, being the official, has no right to make such remarks in public.

Javed Miandad

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad wants Chris Broad to be banned for life by the International Cricket Council following his comments on the terrorist attack in Lahore.

Broad, along with umpires Simon Taufel and Steve Davis, heavily criticised Pakistan's security forces for their actions during the terrorist attack.

ICC referee Broad and the match officials were part of a convoy heading to the Gaddafi Stadium for the second Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan when gunman launched their assault.

And while the Sri Lanka team were able to get to the ground, Broad had claimed the officials were left like "sitting ducks".

Eight people died in the attack, with several members of the Sri Lanka squad and the fourth umpire injured, but former director-general of the Pakistan Cricket Board Miandad is now urging cricket's governing body to act decisively over Broad's very public reaction.

"I will urge the ICC to impose a life ban on Broad as he, being the official, has no right to make such remarks in public," Miandad told The Dawn.

"When I was head of the organising committee for the two one-day internationals between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Karachi, Broad was very impressed with the security arrangements.

"But when I asked him to express his views before the media, he refused, saying he was not allowed to comment on security to the media but could only write to the ICC about it.

"But now by speaking to the media on the Lahore attack, I believe Broad has pleased a lobby and the ICC should take strict action against him."Pakistan cricket chief Ijaz Butt has lodged an offical complaint with the ICC and former Pakistan opener Aamir Sohail agrees with Miandad.

"Such negative remarks from an ICC match referee on the security measures will serve no purpose as the entire world has seen that our security officials sacrificed their lives to protect all foreigners," Sohail said.

"Pakistan needs the support of the whole world and statements such as given by Broad are not needed by us."

from skysport.com




Younus: Deplorable act

This is a deplorable act and it's completely unacceptable

Younus Khan


Pakistan captain Younus Khan has called the terrorist attack on team buses carrying the Sri Lanka team and match officials in Lahore "a deplorable act".

Six policemen and two civilians were killed when the buses came under fire as they travelled to the Gaddafi Stadium ahead of the third day of the second Test.

Seven Sri Lankan players as well as assistant coach Paul Farbrace were injured, while fourth official Ahsan Raza is in a critical condition in hospital after being wounded.

"This is a deplorable act and it's completely unacceptable," Younus said.

"They were our guests and it's awful to see such incidents happening."Younus said that Pakistan's bus had travelled alongside those of Sri Lanka and the match officials on the previous two days of the Test, but had been delayed on Tuesday morning.

"We normally leave together, but today we were delayed and the Sri Lankan team went ahead of us," he continued."It would have been catastrophic had both buses gone together.

"Younus added that he had spoken to Sri Lankan players after the incident and also praised their driver, who was able to steer the bus clear of the ambush attack.

He added: "They were courteous and took the incident in their stride. They merely termed it 'a bad experience' and they have no ill feeling towards this country.

"We are thankful that none of the players suffered fatal injuries and the courage of the bus driver must be praised.

"I heard Muttiah Muralitharan presented him with a team jersey. It was a great gesture.

"Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam said his team had left their hotel but were told to turn back after going a short distance.

"We heard about the attack only when we had reached Mall road and were immediately told to return back to the hotel," he said.

"It was a terrifying incident and we sat down together worried about the Sri Lankan players' safety.

"We later got in touch with them and their manager."

from skysports.com




Younus: Fighting Pakistan's corner

I can only plead to everyone don't abandon Pakistan now or try to isolate it. If this mistake is made, terrorism will have won in Pakistan.

Younus Khan


Younus Khan is beseeching the cricketing world not to desert Pakistan in its time of great need.

Seven Pakistanis six policemen and the driver of the coach carrying the match officials to the Gaddafi stadium - were killed in Tuesday's terrorist attack in Lahore, which also left six Sri Lankan players, two team officials and an umpire wounded.

British match referee Chris Broad and Australian umpire Simon Taufel have since criticised the security measures in place.

But skipper Younus is calling on his international counterparts to stand by the country, particularly under the current circumstances.

"I can only plead to everyone don't abandon Pakistan now or try to isolate it. If this mistake is made, terrorism will have won in Pakistan," Younus said.

"We don't have much to cheer about and if you stop cricket activities you are encouraging young minds to be influenced by these militants.

"Foreign teams have been coming here since 9/11 and the security plan has worked. This incident could have happened anywhere in the world. It is unfortunate but to blame Pakistan for this is unacceptable."