Five die in Pakistan cricket terror attack
MASKED gunmen armed with rifles and rocket launchers attacked Sri Lanka’s national cricket team in Pakistan today – wounding six players and killing five police officers.
The officers were guarding the convoy of stars and officials as the team arrived at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium early this morning.
Witnesses said at least 12 men wearing body armour ambushed the coach carrying the players and several cars containing officials, umpires and journalists.
TV pictures showed men carrying AK47 rifles opening fire from bushes in scenes reminiscent of recent terror attacks on Mumbai, which claimed the lives of 173 people.
Officials could be seen examining dozens of spent shell casings lying on the ground nearby and a discarded rocket launcher tube.
It is not known who was behind the attacks at about 9am local time, but police said they were still hunting the gunmen, who arrived on rickshaws and in cars before carrying out the “well-coordinated” assault.
Among those caught up in the chaos was former England cricketers Chris Broad and Dominic Cork.
Broad, an umpire and the father of current England fast bowler Stuart, is said to have been splattered with blood when the driver of a car he was travelling in was shot.
Players and officials were later airlifted to safety and none are thought to have life-threatening injuries.
Lahore police chief Haji Habibur Rehman said: “It was a terrorist attack and the terrorists used rocket launchers, hand grenades and other weapons.
“Our police sacrificed their lives to protect the Sri Lankan team.”
Players Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Thushara are among those thought to have been injured, along with head coach Ajantha Mendis and assistant coach Paul Farbrace, an Englishman who played for Kent and Middlesex.
