Sri Lankan team to be airlifted out of Pakistan

Lahore: The Sri Lankan team would be airlifted out of the country by the Pakistan airforce after six players and one assistant coach of the visiting team were injured in a terrorist attack on the team bus on their way to the Gaddafi stadium, a visiting team official said.
"It was a horrifying incident and something we didn't expect at all. Our board and embassy in Pakistan is now coordinating with the Pakistan government and Pakistan airforce to get the team out of Pakistan as soon as possible," he said.

He said Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana, who were hit by gun shots in the attack near Liberty chowk few yards away from the stadium, had been admitted to hospital and were now out of danger.

He confirmed four other players -- Ajantha Mendis, Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Thushara and Suranga Lakmal -- and assistant coach Paul Fabrace were also wounded in the attack but were now fine after receiving medical aid.

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Nadeem Ghouri, one of the reserve umpires for the match, said he was in the bus with the match officials just behind the Sri Lankan coach when the attack happened.

"Our driver was killed instantly by a bullet from the front and we all went down on the floor of the coach but the firing went on for minutes. One of the reserve umpires Ahsan Raza was hit from the back and is critically injured," Ghouri said. Ghouri, who is also grazed by a bullet to the hip, described the entire incident as horrifying and nighrmarish.

ICC umpires Simon Taufel and Steve Davis, both Australians, were at the stadium dressed and ready to fly home as they looked shell shocked and worried. They refused to speak to the media.

The incident was condemned by the cricket community in Pakistan with former captains Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul Haq expressing concern for the future of cricket in the country.

"Tell me who will come to Pakistan now. This incident has greatly damaged the reputation of Pakistan cricket. All security fears expressed by foreign teams have come true," Inzamam said.

PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt said it was a well coordinated attack carried out by trained terrorists. "We did everything possible to control things but there are somethings out of our control," he said.