Five die in Pakistan cricket terror attack
Cork, who played 37 Tests for England and was working as a commentator in Pakistan, said: “The Sri Lankan players are quite shocked. They all fell to the floor of the team bus when the attack happened.
“Some of them have wounds, but I think most of them are superficial wounds. I have spoken to (Kumar) Sangakkarra, he has a shrapnel wound in his right shoulder.
“The team are sitting in the changing room watching local TV. They are waiting for helicopters to arrive to take them to a local army base and wait for a connecting flight to Abu Dhabi.
“I won’t be coming back here while I’m still living, there is no chance.
“I don’t think international cricket should return to this country.”
Broad was in a vehicle following the Sri Lankan team bus, he said. The driver was hit by gunfire and the officials were driven to the stadium by a policeman, Cork added.
After the attack, the authorities immediately cancelled the test match and the Lahore governor said the team was flying home.
Eyewitness Ahmad Hassan said that gunfire had come from all directions.
He said: “We were trying to save our lives. There were bullets flying in all directions. It wasn’t just one direction, the bullets were being fired very rapidly.
“It was certainly chaotic, everybody was panicking. I am still recovering from the shock of it all.”
He said the security services were on the scene promptly.
“Ambulances were rushing in, police cars were rushing in, and the traffic was blocked. Police had cordoned off the whole area,” he said.
The attack comes at a time of unrest in both Pakistan and Sri Lanka, both of which are trying to defeat uprisings.
Security concerns have plagued Pakistan for years and some foreign sports teams have refused to play there.
International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat, responding to the terror attack, said: “We note with dismay and regret the events of this morning in Lahore and we condemn this attack without reservation.
“It is a source of great sadness that there have been a number of fatalities in this attack and it is also very upsetting for the wider cricket family that some of the Sri Lanka players and one match official have been injured in this attack.
“At this time our thoughts and prayers are with the injured people and also the families of those who have died.
“I have confirmed with both member boards that the remainder of the tour has been cancelled and we are working hard to get our match officials out of the area as safely and as quickly as possible.
“I know, also, that the Pakistan Cricket Board is working with Sri Lanka Cricket to make sure the players are flown home at the earliest opportunity.”
An ICC statement read: “Until the full facts of the incident are established and the players and match officials have returned home safely, the ICC will make no further comment.”
