Sri Lankan cricket team shooting

The Sri Lankan national cricket team were attacked by 14 gunmen on their way to a game against Pakistan in Lahore. Six policemen and one driver werre killed, six cricketers and their British trainer were injured.

According to a (very useful) Guardian interactive guide, the gunmen, armed with assault rifles, a rocket launcher and grenades, blocked the team buses with a car before opening fire. The shooters were waiting at a grassy square en route to Gaddafi stadium, where the Sri Lankan team were due to resume a test match.

The death toll could have been worse. Reports suggest that the attackers fired a rocket but missed and threw a grenade that failed to explode. The ensuing gunfight between the terrorist and police lasted around 30 minutes, the team eventually escaping to the stadium. They were airlifted to safety. All the gunmen escaped from the scene.

The incident is a serious humiliation for Pakistan as they had guaranteed the Sri Lankan team’s safety. Both India and Australia refused to tour Pakistan due to security concerns.