Sri Lankan Cricket Team Attacked

[Moridin]

Masked gunmen have attacked the Sri Lankan Cricket team bus in Pakistan, shots were fired and a grenade thrown.

Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavithana have received minor injuries.

This was the first tour by an International Cricket team afted the Champions Trophy, and Series with india and Austrailia were cancelled.

Seems like a pre-planned assault, car bombs in the vicinity have also been defused.

Details on the Guardian website, and Cricinfo blogs.

"The bus came under attack as we were driving to the stadium, the gunmen targeted the wheels of the bus first and then the bus, we all dived to the floor to take cover. About five players have been injured and also Paul Farbrace [a member of the support staff], but most of the injuries appear to be minor at this stage and caused by debris."

Quote from Mahela Jayawardene taken from cricinfo.com

 

[number11]

Saw the news footage this morning and it was grim stuff. Watching the Sri Lankan players board the helicopter in the middle of the square was surreal viewing. Apparently 5 members of the security team were killed in addition to the injured players. I guess it will take Pakistan a long time to recover from this within international cricket. What is the purpose / aims of the terrorists in this instance?

 

[canveyshrimper]

Saw the news footage this morning and it was grim stuff. Watching the Sri Lankan players board the helicopter in the middle of the square was surreal viewing. Apparently 5 members of the security team were killed in addition to the injured players. I guess it will take Pakistan a long time to recover from this within international cricket. What is the purpose / aims of the terrorists in this instance?

I also saw the footage this morning, and you can fully understand why players from other nations were worried for their security. I can't see Pakistan getting tours for a good few years to come, and rather shows up the ICC's proposal to defer the CHampions Trophy when it shouldn't have been awarded to Pakistan in the first place IMO.

Having seen the footage my first reaction that this may be the work of the Tamil Tigers, I am not sure what Pakistani (or other groups) would gain from attacking the Sri Lankan team. If this were the England or Australian teams you would see and understand their purpose.

 

[SUFC Forever]

That is the end for Pakistan now for home Tests. Who in their right mind would ever now want to tour that country again after this?

Talk of Australia playing Pakistan here in England after the Aussies have played their one dayers later in the summer.

Tragic day for cricket and sport in general.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

I heard it mentioned today that Sri Lanka had withdrawn from all future cricket competitions, with the exception of the Hong Kong Sixes