How the 2009 attack on Sri Lankan team continues to affect cricket in Pakistan in 2019

Ten Sri Lankan players, including captain Dimuth Karunaratne and veterans Lasith Malinga and Angelo Mathews, have opted out of the upcoming tour of Pakistan over security concerns, the country’s cricket board (SLC) said on Monday.

Sri Lanka are due to tour Pakistan to play three one-day internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 matches to be held between September 27 and October 9. Pakistan are looking to host their first Test on home soil — as part of the World Test Championship in December — since a 2009 militant attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore left six security personnel and two civilians dead, while six players were injured.

The 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team

Pakistan cricket suffered a huge blow on March 3, 2009, when a group of terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus and a minivan carrying officials near the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Around a dozen terrorists armed with automatic weapons, grenades and a rocket launcher attacked the convoy carrying the visiting team and officials. CCTV footage aired by television channels on Wednesday showed about half a dozen attackers calmly leaving the site of the assault on foot or on a motorcycle.

Meher Khalil, who was driving the team bus, somehow managed to escape the volley of bullets and took the players to safety and was hailed as a national hero. Zafar Khan, who was driving his coach just behind the Sri Lankan team bus, died instantly when one of the terrorists fired directly at him as he tried to take the match referee and umpires to safety.

Six Sri Lankan players and an assistant coach were injured and were immediately airlifted from the ground ahead of the third Test. The Test match and the tour were cancelled with immediate effect.

Sri Lanka’s Thilan Samaraweera was shot in the leg. Tharanga Paranavitana, a 26-year-old playing his first international tour, was shot in the chest. The bullet, which narrowly missed his heart, was later removed by Pakistan doctors.

The other players injured, all of whom suffered minor shrapnel wounds, included Jayawardene (ankle), Kumar Sangakkara (shoulder), Ajantha Mendis (head) and Suranga Lakmal (leg).

“During the attack every player took shelter by ducking inside the bus. The security vehicle for the players was also attacked, besides the bus…We wish to forget this incident, put it behind us and look forward and concentrate on our future matches. We were lucky to come out of the attack,” Jayawardene said after returning home.

The attacks led to other teams cancelling their tour of Pakistan due to security reasons. As a result, Pakistan had to shift their home matches at neutral venues and the UAE became Pakistan’s adopted home ground to host international matches.

In April 2009, Pakistan was dropped as a co-host of the 2011 World Cup and the 16 matches that were supposed to be played in Pakistan were shifted to subcontinent co-hosts India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Long road to restoration of sport

Foreign teams returned to Pakistan only in 2013 after with Afghanistan XI touring Pakistan to play three unofficial games. The one-day matches were scheduled in Lahore and Multan, whereas the T20I was hosted in Hyderabad. The Nawroz Mangal-led side lost all the three games to the Shahid Afridi-led Pakistan A side.

In December 2014, a Shem Ngoche-led Kenyan side played five unofficial ODIs against the Pakistan A side in Lahore. Kenyans failed to make an impact as they were beaten by huge margins in all the five matches of the tour.

In May 2015, Zimbabwe became the first team to play an international fixture in Pakistan. The Elton Chigumbara-led side was given state guest-level security during the two-T20I and three-ODI series. Pakistan won all the games, except the third ODI which was washed out.

On March 5, 2017, for the first time, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final was played in Pakistan. Big players like Darren Sammy, Chris Jordan, and Marlon Samuels agreed to play in Pakistan. The Sammy-led Peshawar Zalmi became the first team to win the PSL in Pakistan. In 2018, two eliminators and the final were played in Pakistan. In 2019, a total of eight PSL matches were played in Pakistan.

Then Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis led a World XI side for three T20Is against Pakistan in September 2017. A Sarfraz Ahmed-led Pakistan squad won the series 2-1.

Sri Lanka then agreed to play the last T20I of their UAE tour in Pakistan. The event marked the return of the Sri Lankan team to Pakistan after a gap of eight years. However, multiple players including Upul Tharanga, Lasith Malinga, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal and Akila Dananjaya opted out of the match. Pakistan won the T20I by 36 runs.

In August 2019, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s plan to schedule the entire PSL 2020 in Pakistan took a major blow as several international players refused to play.