Pakistan attack on cricket convoy
Unidentified gunmen have fired on a convoy carrying Pakistani and Sri Lankan cricketers in the Pakistani city of Lahore, police say.
The AFP news agency quoted Sri Lanka’s cricket team manager as saying that some of their players had been wounded in the incident.
Unconfirmed reports say some policemen had been killed by the shooting.
The incident happened on the road from the teams’ hotel to a stadium, where a Test match is being held.
Does anyone have any news on this, concerete news ? I cannot believe this is happening. Worst day in cricket if the players are injured.
Damith,
These are not gun men..these are Jihadi lunatics ! This is no time to be politically correct, please.
I believe Kumar Sangakkara, Mendis, Samaraweera are among the injured.Lets pray for their safety.
http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2009/mar/03gunmen-attack-sri-lanka-cricketers-in-lahore.htm
kumar, thts the bbc reporting not me,
samaraweera shot in the chest, this is unbelievable, its all over the news here ..i jst cant believe this is happening i pray everyone is ok.
Sorry, Damith ! I was in a hurry and when I read the news, I could think of your blog to visit.
Just boiling with anger..total 6 players injured plus the Physio.5 policemen killed trying to protect the players. Their convoy was attacked from all 4 sides with terrorists using Kalahnikovs and hand grenades. The tour, of course has been called off, I believe. (What I saw on TV just now )
i am too stunned to react…and pray for the safety of all players from the bottom of my heart…
kumar no worries, from what i am hearing everyone is ok.
sanath jst spoke to cnn ibn and had spoken to vass and sanga, they seem ok, except for injuries through debris.
ppl are in shock as expected, sangas wife was expecting too, so must have had a royal scare.
SP> thanks mate, im praying the same. still in shock
and to the terrorists, hope they all end up where they belong
fortunately all are safe. only minor injuries. sad about the policeman though.
Samaraweera injured in the thigh which is better than the chest. He is said to be out of danger but I won’t believe anything coming out of Pakistan.
Thank god the guy throwing the grenade had the aim of Dilhara Fernando.
The people responsible for sending the SL cricket team to Pak need to be held accountable. I am sure Arjuna Ranatunga will not be slow in coming forward to do so.
my god lol god damn it i’m stuck at school…… fuck this is unbelievable…
Kesh, you are lucky…in my day we had no external contact after going to school!
AdaDerana – Thilan undergoing further treatment in hospital after taking bullet in leg.
On the face of it, the Sri Lankan Board sent the team to tour Pak as a gesture of faith and goodwill despite the warnings post the mumbai attacks. This just makes the whole thing backfire on them with very sad consequences.
But if the SL team was sent there by SLC to flex it’s political muscle then people accountable must pay for it.
Stunned!
Hope they all recover quickly. What a terrible experience.
My prayers and support are with the Lankan squad.
Sanath Jayasuriya reports that they are all safe and none critical even though Samaraweera was struck on the chest.
Our thoughts and prayers with the SL team Damith… A very tragic incident.
According to SLC the team will be flown back tonight. Medically, I don’t see how Thilan or Tharanga can take a flight having suffered shrapnal injuries.
Reg Dickason please take a bow.
He was the security expert hired by Australia and England prior to the Champions Trophy and concluded Pakistan was not safe. At the time he was criticised as a racist white man. Today his fears came true.
Let no one forget that a RPG was fired at the team bus. One dares not think what would have happened if it hit the bus.
keep the updates coming in inside
nthanks everyone for your thoughts on this. im still in shock. i jst saw the team in sl a few weeks ago, now they are under attack by terrorist.
this is jst s wrong.
The team minus Thilan and one other will be returning tonight – the idiot Pak officials have announced it will be by helicopter to Lahore Airport.
I suggest sending the Sport Minister, Duleep Mendis and other SLC officials to Lahore and keep them there till Thilan is ready to return. Also send that lot out in the open. Then they will understand how exposed the cricket team is.
“Minister Gamini Lokuge told parliament that the Sri Lankan government condemned the attack on the national cricket team”
WOW. That guy is smart.
Woke up to hear Dominic Cork on the BBC – he was in the SL dressing room. The players all seemed incredibly calm. Thilan had the worst injury, a bullet wound to the thigh, but was okay. The worst day for cricket that I can remember.
The Sri Lankan team has been just flown out of the stadium in an Army helicopter to the nearest Airport where from where they will fly to Sri Lanka in a special plane, Samaraweera and Tharanga are out of danger, thank god.
The whole Pakistani nation will remain indebted to the SriLankan team and nation forever for their goodwill gesture, four terrorists have been caught and soon the rest of them will also get caught, those who attacked innocent players will not go un punished.
i just saw some of the clips through CNN man i still can’t believe it….. those buggers shooting like nothing ducking for cover and all…. our president has asked the authorities to send a private plane to bring back the players….
by the looks of it so far it’s Thilan whos injured worse of the team…. i sure hope he’s k….
here are pictures up on cricinfo….
http://content-sl.cricinfo.com/pakvsl/content/image/393222.html
http://content-sl.cricinfo.com/pakvsl/content/image/393223.html
http://content-sl.cricinfo.com/pakvsl/content/image/393229.html
damith,
the sri lankan team have flown out, thankfully!
it has really been unfortunate that sri lankan team has had to undergo this attack and stress. it is really unfortunate that the only team that showed the good-will to support PCB, had to face this, not that it be any team, not even their own!
our prayers are with all of them and our best wishes with you!
The most tragic event in the history of cricket. Nobody should have to suffer this in any walk of life, but when it’s public figures, star players in a game we love it has a wider effect.
The time has come to put a lid on all academic speculating on who is right or wrong in their motives for touring or not touring Pakistan. It’s time for governments and sporting bodies to stop playing political games – No sport is as important as human lives. Goodwill means nothing anymore, as the world is a screwed up chaos where a minority of insane zealots are holding many of us to ransom.
thanks guys for all your support.
no one was hurt, and thts what matters in the end.
lets hope for a speedy recovery for all injured.
and thanks again!
dude no cricketers were seriously hurt but 5 police were killed!
My thoughts with everyone affected by this incident. Too stunned to say anything else!