Sri Lanka stars in shooting

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

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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 told CNN-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."

Shocked

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.