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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Mar 22, 2022, 06:22 PM IST
The ongoing Australia vs Pakistan 2022 Test series will down in history for plenty of reasons. For the first time since 1998, an Australian side flew to Pakistan to take on the Green Army in a bilateral series. But that's not all, for umpire Ahsan Raza, standing in the 3rd Test between Australia and Pakistan will offer him plenty of nostalgia.
For the unversed Ahsan Raza is standing in only his fifth Test match, joined by veteran official Aleem Dar. It was in Lahore in 2009, that Raza's life changed forever.
13 years ago, it was in the same venue when Raza, who was a reserve umpire back then was one of the survivors of the horrific terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team. Alongside Raza, match official Chris Broad was also in a mini-van which was attacked, and Raza was hit by two bullets.
One of them penetrated his lung, another went into his liver. Raza was bleeding profusely when Broad came to his rescue. He kept his hand on the Pakistani umpire's chest, in order to stop the bleeding and his heroics didn't go in vain.
In 2009, Ahsan Raza was struck by two bullets during the infamous Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan national cricket team.13 years later, he's umpiring at Test match in the same city he almost lost his life.#PAKVAUS#LahoreTest pic.twitter.com/l48HHYmHpq — maqbool-writes (@maqbooljunejo1) March 22, 2022
Raza was able to survive the attack wherein 12 gunmen had opened fire on the Sri Lankan team bus, near Liberty Square in the centre of Lahore. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene and his teammates somehow survived, albeit they sustained minor injuries.
Recalling the horrors of the attack, Raza told the Guardian in a later interview the exact details of how his life was saved.
"I was saved by two things. One, I put an ICC handbook, with all the rules and regulations, in front of my stomach," Ahsan Raza revealed.
In 2009, Ahsan Raza was struck by two bullets during the infamous Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan national cricket team.
13 years later, he's umpiring at Test match in the same city he almost lost his life: https://t.co/4ts6EV6Ocv
Getty Images #PAKvAUS @newscomauHQ pic.twitter.com/rLhM4Uz77Y — Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) March 21, 2022
READ| From Lahore attack to Christchurch mosque shooting: When terror came in the way of cricket
"I give credit to Chris Broad as well. He was crying at first, everybody in the bus was crying. But then there was a pin-drop silence everywhere, and he suddenly realised that someone – me – was lying dying and my blood was pumping full speed. He lay down on me to try to stop the flow. I just asked my Allah, please save my life for my kids, three small daughters – that was all," he added.
The Pakistani official continued, "I have always said it is my dream to umpire in international cricket, so now that dream is for international cricket to go back to Pakistan, where the people love cricket so much. I hope it can happen soon."
13 years later, his dream has become a reality. The 47-year-old might be incredibly proud of himself, as he stood in the series decider between Australia and Pakistan in Lahore.
