Pakistan v Sri Lanka Cricket Series 2009
Pakistan v Sri Lanka Cricket Test Series 2009
Gunmen attack Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan
Mar 03, 2009
A dozen men attacked Sri Lanka's cricket team with rifles, grenades and rocket launchers Tuesday ahead of a match in Pakistan, wounding seven players and a coach from Britain in a brazen assault on South Asia's most beloved sport. Six policemen and a civilian were killed.
An assistant coach was also wounded, but the players' and coach's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
The assailants ambushed the convoy carrying the squad and match officials at a traffic circle close to the main sports stadium in the eastern city of Lahore, triggering a 15-minute gunbattle with police guarding the vehicles.
None of the attackers were killed or captured at the scene, city police chief Haji Habibur Rehman said. Authorities did not speculate on the identities of the attackers or their motives.
The attack reinforced perceptions that nuclear-armed Pakistan is veering out of control and will end any hopes of international cricket teams — or any sports teams — playing in the country for months, if not years. Even before the incident, most cricket teams choose not to tour the country because of security concerns.
Tuesday's attack came three months after the Mumbai terror attacks, which were allegedly carried out by Pakistan militants.
Two Sri Lankan players — Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana — were being treated for injuries in hospital but were stable, said Chamara Ranavira, a spokesman for the Sri Lankan High Commission.
Team captain Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Suranka Lakmal and Chaminda Vaas had minor injuries, the Sri Lankan Cricket Board said. Ranavira said British assistant coach Paul Farbrace also sustained minor injuries.
Australian head coach Trevor Bayliss was not wounded, Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said, refuting earlier reports he had minor wounds.
Veteran batsman Sangakkara told Sri Lankan radio station Yes-FM that "all the players are completely out of danger."
Authorities canceled the test match and the Lahore governor said the team was flying home. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa condemned the attack and ordered his foreign minister to immediately travel to Pakistan to help assist in the team's evacuation and ensure they are safe.
PAK v SL, 2nd Test, Lahore: Test called off after attack
Mar 03, 2009
The second cricket Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was called off Tuesday after a deadly gun and grenade attack on the tourists' bus in Lahore, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced.
"This test match has been officially called off," PCB chairman Ijaz Butt told reporters in Pakistan's eastern city Lahore.
Pakistani authorities were providing helicopters to evacuate the Sri Lankan team, which announced they would return home immediately.
"We are providing helicopters to evacuate the team from the ground to an air base from where they will leave," 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," he said.
PAK v SL, 2nd Test, Lahore: Pakistan 110-1 drew with Sri Lanka 606
PAK v SL, 1st Test, Karachi: First Test drawn as Khan misses shot at record
Feb 26, 2009
The first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka ended in a draw after some late excitement when the tourists lost quick wickets briefly raising hopes of an unlikely result at Karachi on Wednesday.
The tourists averted defeat after losing five wickets for just 120 runs, finishing the match with the score of 144-5 in their second innings.
Pakistan captain Younus Khan failed to create history as he fell for 313, 24 runs short of Pakistan's highest Test score of 334 held by Hanif Mohammad, made against the West Indies at Barbados in 1958.
Younus had also set his sights on West Indian Brian Lara's highest Test score of 400. Lara achieved the record against England in Antigua in 2004.
Pakistan achieved their higest Test total of 765-6 declared in reply to Sri Lanak's first innings score of 644-7 declared.
The second and final Test starts in Lahore on March 1.
PAK v SL, 1st Test, Karachi: Pakistan 644-7 drew with Sri Lanka 765-6 & 144-5
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