Players 'out of danger'

Sangakkara confirms Sri Lanka stars not badly injured

Last updated: 3rd March 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Players 'out of danger'

Sri Lankan players are evacuated by helicopter.

There are a few injuries but everyone is safe and all the players are out of danger. We are shocked, but apart from that everyone is okay.

Kumar Sangakkara after the Lahore attack
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Sri Lanka vice captain Kumar Sangakkara has confirmed he and his team-mates are "safe and out of danger" after gun attacks on their team bus in Lahore.

The batsman was one of seven players who was hurt when gunmen opened fire as the bus made its way to the way to the Gaddafi Stadium ahead of the third day of the second Test with Pakistan.

Sangakkara told CNN-IBN: "There are a few injuries but everyone is safe and all the players are out of danger.

"We are shocked, but apart from that everyone is okay.

"Thilan (Samaraweera) has a shrapnel wound in his leg, but he is fine.

"(Tharanga) Paranavitana had shrapnel in his chest, but thank God it wasn't very deep and just on the surface.

"I had shrapnel injuries in my shoulder, but they have all been removed and I'm okay now.

"Ajantha (Mendis) had shrapnel in his neck and scalp, but he too has had medical attention and is fine. Everyone else is perfectly all right."

Sri Lanka sports minister Gamini Lokuge later confirmed Thilan Thushara was injured. Suranka Lakmal and Chaminda Vaas also required treatment.

Gunfire

The players were quickly airlifted from the stadium. A vehicle carrying match officials which was following the Sri Lankan team bus was also caught up in the attack. The driver was hit by gunfire and the officials were driven to the stadium by a policeman.

Fourth umpire Ahsan Raza was shot and taken to a Lahore hospital for treatment.

The Test was being umpired by Simon Taufel and Steve Davies while Nadeem Ghauri was the TV umpire and Chris Broad, father of England bowler Stuart Broad, was the match referee.

Former England bowler Dominic Cork, in Lahore to commentate for Pakistan TV, told Sky Sports News: "He (Broad) said it was the most frightening experience of his life. Their driver was shot and they had to ask a policeman to drive them to the stadium."

This was the first Test series to have been played in the country for 14 months.

Australia last year refused to tour Pakistan amid the unrest which followed the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

The Champions Trophy in the country was also called off, while Sri Lanka were only touring because of the breakdown in relations between Pakistan and India.

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Comments (4)

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Chris Lewis says...

I'm very sorry to hear about what has happened in Pakistan and obviously I would like to wish everybody affected including the Sri Lankan cricketers a speedy recovery. I am also angered by one of the comments I read earlier. I think it would be totaly stupid to continue cricket tours in Pakistan knowing that the risk of terror attacks is so high! Just for the sake of a game of cricket should we expect any cricketer to risk his life to play a game knowing they have family at home? I think that would be totally naive!

Posted 09:29 3rd March 2009

Andy Wood says...

No team should tour Pakistan for years until they can sort their country out. According to Sky Sports News they were warned of this attack yesterday and still they didn't stop it. All the best to the Sri Lankan players and lets hope the ICC grow some and halt all tours of Pakistan.

Posted 08:45 3rd March 2009

Joe Kuria says...

Very very sad, but will tell you the world should not allow terrorists to prevail. Cricket world must continue to host matches in Pakistan and other national teams should participate in solidality. We were hit here in Kenya in 1998 but we lived on. Sorry to those affected.

Posted 08:24 3rd March 2009

Mubashar Ali says...

Whatever happened in Lahore today was really saddening. The whole nation of Pakistan and the citizens of Lahore totally condemn this terrorist act. I for one know that this was not due to lax in security measures as my family members are in the police. Condolences to the policemen who lost their lives and deepest sympathies to the sri lankan cricketers , especially those who were injured. i remember watching pakistan vs india in rawalpindi, which was an amazing experience. after today, no team would want to visit pakistan (rightly so) for a long, long time!!

Posted 08:19 3rd March 2009
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