Captain of Sri Lanka at the time when his team's bus was attacked on its way to the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore in 2009 for a Test match, Kumar Sangakkara recalled the incident and hailed the bus driver who ensured they were able to drive away from the area where the shootings were going on and eventually survived.
Sangakkara also informed that the players weren't really comfortable over the prospect of travelling to Pakistan for that trip because of security concerns.
"At the time, when going to Pakistan, security was an issue. We had written about our concerns on security, and were exploring insurance for players if something happened. So, we were refused politely, and we were told that they have done all the groundwork to ensure security, so we went," Sangakkara told Sky Sports.
"We were having our usual banters on the bus, people talking about what you are going to do this evening. One of our fast bowlers said 'wickets are so flat here, I am going to get a stress fracture or something. I hope a bomb goes off, so we could go home'. And 20 seconds later, this happens."
"Our team's masseur at the time was in the front, we heard the gunshots, we thought they were firecrackers. He got up, and said 'get down, they are shooting the bus'. (Tillakaratne) Dilshan was also in front, I was more central. Mahela (Jayawardene) was right at the back, Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) was sitting right behind me so that he could annoy Thilan Samaraweera. I remember Tharanga Paranavitana, the opener, was in front."
Few of the players got really badly injured on one of the saddest days in the history of cricket.
"All hell broke loose, we hid at the aisle of the bus, on top of each other, and then the shooting started," Sangakkara remembers. "They shot the bus as many times they could, and threw grenades, and fired a rocket launcher. And for some reason, I don't know why we survived."
"Thilan (Samaraweera) was injured, I got hit on the shoulder with a lot of shrapnel. Ajantha Mendis was injured. Tharanga Paranavitana gets up bleeding from his chest and collapses saying he's been shot. We hear 'oohs and aahs' from all around the bus. Paul Farbrace has an iron spike through his hand, so we get into the ground, which is 500m from there, very rudimentary security of course. Unfortunately, most of the security personnel guarding us, died and that was tragic."
"They tried to shoot the bus driver, missing him by a couple of inches. He was the hero, we survived probably because he was left alive to drive us through that. Everyday he used to take four attempts to get through the narrow gate, but this time, he drove in straight into the ground."
"We get off. Tharanga Paranavitana, we thought had died for some reason, feels his back, and says, I don't have a hole in my back, so I think I am okay and walks off the park," he added. "Thilan is bleeding everywhere, he's been shot very badly. He gets taken by ambulance to hospital. Ajantha Mendis and I were due to get in the next ambulance, but then they were shooting next to the ambulance, so we decided we would stay here."
The terror attack on a visiting cricket side put on hold the international game in Pakistan. The country was removed as co-host of the 2011 World Cup and didn't host another nation for top-level fixtures till 2015 when Zimbabwe arrived for some limited-overs fixtures.
Things are changing, however, with PCB making great efforts in terms of the security and inspiring confidence in other full-member boards that Pakistan is safe to play cricket in.
The country had been hosting ODIs and T20Is on an infrequent basis since the Zimbabweans came, but received its biggest boost when Sri Lanka arrived for a Test series, Pakistan's first in a decade, late in 2019. Followed by the visit from Bangladesh earlier this year.
PCB also organised the entire Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 at home this season.
Sangakkara, now president of the MCC, took a side representing the club to Pakistan as well and urged the likes of Australia, New Zealand & co to reconsider their stance.
(Inputs from IANS)
