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[Documentary] Terror to Triumph: Chapter 1 – The 2009 Lahore Attack

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Salaam PakPassion family,

We know this one hits close to home.

March 3, 2009. A date none of us will ever forget. The day cricket was taken away from Pakistan.

We’ve been working on this for a while, and we’re proud to finally share Chapter 1 of our documentary series "Terror to Triumph." This episode covers the attack on the Sri Lankan team, the immediate aftermath, and what it meant for the future of cricket in Pakistan.

We’ve spoken to journalists, analysts, and fans who lived through that day—many of whom you’ll recognize from the PP community.

If you were old enough to remember where you were when the news broke, this one will bring it all back. If you weren’t, this is the story of how we lost our home advantage and why it meant so much when cricket finally returned.

Watch it here:

Let us know your thoughts in the thread. Would love to hear your memories of that day and what it felt like for you as a fan.

Chapter 2 – "Cricket Comes Home" – coming soon.

PakPassion.net
 
Pakistan is still not a safe country. When i heard the news back in 2009, it was a feeling of Karma coming to bite back the Pakistan as a country.
 
That was surely a dark day in Pakistan cricket history and Pakistan in general. It took a long time for things to get back to normal. Thankfully, the situation is good now and foreign teams and players are coming to Pakistan regularly.
 
"Still Have Shrapnel In My Body": Kumar Sangakkara On Sri Lanka Facing Terror Attack In Pakistan

Back in 2009, a terror attack on the Sri Lanka team's bus in Lahore changed Pakistan cricket forever. For years, Pakistan played their home matches in the UAE as teams refused to visit the country after what happened on that day in Lahore. Eight people were killed and over 20 others, including several Sri Lankan players, were injured when more than a dozen terrorists ambushed the Lankan team's motorcade at the busy Liberty traffic roundabout near the Gaddafi Stadium on the third day of the second Test against Pakistan on March 3, 2009.

Sri Lankan players Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, Suranga Lakmal and Thilina Thushara were injured in the attack. Sangakkara has now opened up on how it changed his outlook on life.

Sangakkara said that one of his teammates joked about a bomb going off before the attack actually happened. "We are in the hotel, third day, going to the ground, and a fast bowler seated in front says, 'My back's going to break on these flat tracks. I hope a bomb goes off and we go home,'" Sangakkara said in a podcast. "Not even a minute later, we get attacked."

"We get injured. I still have shrapnel down my right side. I haven't had any nightmares, or, you know, visitations back to what could have happened, or waking up in cold sweats. But what it did give me was this sense of deep gratitude and perspective on what was happening in Sri Lanka at the time."

At the same time, Sri Lanka was going through a civil war, and the attack changed Sangakkara's perspective. "I mean, we were going through a war - the last stages of the war - in 2009, and this happened to us for two minutes, and we made headline news," Sangakkara said.

"A few weeks later, I was driving through Colombo and was stopped by an officer - Army or Navy. The first thing he asked was, 'Oh, how are you?' I said I am okay. He then said, 'We saw the news and we were so shocked for you guys.'

"I mean, I saw it happens to you and to your fellow soldiers all the time," Sangakkara continued. "He looked at me and said, 'Yeah, we signed up for it.' I realised the world we are living in. We play cricket, play a game, get paid well, and suddenly we experience something for two minutes that the country has experienced for 20-26 years, and suddenly we are heroes."


 
I never got a straight answer for this.

a) Was SL team promised presidential level security?

b) Was SL team provided presidential level security?

c) If yes, who decided this was presidential level security

d) if no, who decided not to provide presidential level security?
 
Cricket Warrior said:
"Still Have Shrapnel In My Body": Kumar Sangakkara On Sri Lanka Facing Terror Attack In Pakistan

Back in 2009, a terror attack on the Sri Lanka team's bus in Lahore changed Pakistan cricket forever. For years, Pakistan played their home matches in the UAE as teams refused to visit the country after what happened on that day in Lahore. Eight people were killed and over 20 others, including several Sri Lankan players, were injured when more than a dozen terrorists ambushed the Lankan team's motorcade at the busy Liberty traffic roundabout near the Gaddafi Stadium on the third day of the second Test against Pakistan on March 3, 2009.

Sri Lankan players Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, Suranga Lakmal and Thilina Thushara were injured in the attack. Sangakkara has now opened up on how it changed his outlook on life.

Sangakkara said that one of his teammates joked about a bomb going off before the attack actually happened. "We are in the hotel, third day, going to the ground, and a fast bowler seated in front says, 'My back's going to break on these flat tracks. I hope a bomb goes off and we go home,'" Sangakkara said in a podcast. "Not even a minute later, we get attacked."

"We get injured. I still have shrapnel down my right side. I haven't had any nightmares, or, you know, visitations back to what could have happened, or waking up in cold sweats. But what it did give me was this sense of deep gratitude and perspective on what was happening in Sri Lanka at the time."

At the same time, Sri Lanka was going through a civil war, and the attack changed Sangakkara's perspective. "I mean, we were going through a war - the last stages of the war - in 2009, and this happened to us for two minutes, and we made headline news," Sangakkara said.

"A few weeks later, I was driving through Colombo and was stopped by an officer - Army or Navy. The first thing he asked was, 'Oh, how are you?' I said I am okay. He then said, 'We saw the news and we were so shocked for you guys.'

"I mean, I saw it happens to you and to your fellow soldiers all the time," Sangakkara continued. "He looked at me and said, 'Yeah, we signed up for it.' I realised the world we are living in. We play cricket, play a game, get paid well, and suddenly we experience something for two minutes that the country has experienced for 20-26 years, and suddenly we are heroes."


Click to expand...
To think sri lanka was the first major country to tour again after 10 years of no cricket in Pakistan (Zimbabwe and world XI did tour in between but sri lanka was the first full, major tour).

Really brave players and sri lanka turned out to be a real ally of Pakistan and their tour was critical for other countries and players to start coming to Pakistan soon.

Kudos to them.
 
Horrible day it was for our cricket

We lost hosting rights for 2011 CWC

Lost home cricket until 2015
 
RyanRyan10 said:
In which ICC tournament were they both not picked?
Click to expand...
rizwan is sidelined for good.. Babar is also near... But tell me what is the performance now??? babar has not opened for a long time now... salman played at 3 and has been a mess at that number.. Saim? Fakhar? Khushdil?

How many names you want me to take?
 
BouncerGuy said:
Show me the trophies Pakistan won in their absense??
Click to expand...
In the last ICC Trophy that we won Babar was part of the team.

Pak in ICC tournaments with Babar-Rizwan (T20)
2021-SF with massive win over Ind
2022-F with near win vs Ind
2024 - below par tournament with a very close loss to Ind

Pak without Babar-Rizwan at the top
2026 - could only beat minnows and nearly lost to SL. Thrashed by Ind.

We can criticize Babar-Riz for their SR with a degree of fairness and Babar especially needs to accept his bad form and work on it but these haters are revising history.

If we add Asia Cup picture is even worse.
 
BouncerGuy said:
rizwan is sidelined for good.. Babar is also near... But tell me what is the performance now??? babar has not opened for a long time now... salman played at 3 and has been a mess at that number.. Saim? Fakhar? Khushdil?

How many names you want me to take?
Click to expand...
Fakhar especially has done nothing as an opener. People do bhangra over his innings vs a weak SL where he was lucky to survive a plumb lbw. His stats as an opener including SR that people here do bhangra over are quite medicore. Fact is no one has been able to nail the slot. If we had someone coming in and nailing spots Babar and Rizwan would be history by now.
 
rpant_gabba said:
I never got a straight answer for this.

a) Was SL team promised presidential level security?

b) Was SL team provided presidential level security?

c) If yes, who decided this was presidential level security

d) if no, who decided not to provide presidential level security?
Click to expand...
All the answers point to the interior minister of that time, rehman malik. He was at fault
 
Cricket Warrior said:
"Still Have Shrapnel In My Body": Kumar Sangakkara On Sri Lanka Facing Terror Attack In Pakistan

Back in 2009, a terror attack on the Sri Lanka team's bus in Lahore changed Pakistan cricket forever. For years, Pakistan played their home matches in the UAE as teams refused to visit the country after what happened on that day in Lahore. Eight people were killed and over 20 others, including several Sri Lankan players, were injured when more than a dozen terrorists ambushed the Lankan team's motorcade at the busy Liberty traffic roundabout near the Gaddafi Stadium on the third day of the second Test against Pakistan on March 3, 2009.

Sri Lankan players Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana, Suranga Lakmal and Thilina Thushara were injured in the attack. Sangakkara has now opened up on how it changed his outlook on life.

Sangakkara said that one of his teammates joked about a bomb going off before the attack actually happened. "We are in the hotel, third day, going to the ground, and a fast bowler seated in front says, 'My back's going to break on these flat tracks. I hope a bomb goes off and we go home,'" Sangakkara said in a podcast. "Not even a minute later, we get attacked."

"We get injured. I still have shrapnel down my right side. I haven't had any nightmares, or, you know, visitations back to what could have happened, or waking up in cold sweats. But what it did give me was this sense of deep gratitude and perspective on what was happening in Sri Lanka at the time."

At the same time, Sri Lanka was going through a civil war, and the attack changed Sangakkara's perspective. "I mean, we were going through a war - the last stages of the war - in 2009, and this happened to us for two minutes, and we made headline news," Sangakkara said.

"A few weeks later, I was driving through Colombo and was stopped by an officer - Army or Navy. The first thing he asked was, 'Oh, how are you?' I said I am okay. He then said, 'We saw the news and we were so shocked for you guys.'

"I mean, I saw it happens to you and to your fellow soldiers all the time," Sangakkara continued. "He looked at me and said, 'Yeah, we signed up for it.' I realised the world we are living in. We play cricket, play a game, get paid well, and suddenly we experience something for two minutes that the country has experienced for 20-26 years, and suddenly we are heroes."


Click to expand...
Still?
 
Terrorist attacks happen. They happen everywhere. There is no guaranteed security in this world. I'm not discounting the incompetence in this perticular case but I'm actually more interested in the aftermath. That revealed the real issues.

The way investigation was handled, content of public messaging etc all come to a very telling conclusion.
 
JattMaula said:
Terrorist attacks happen. They happen everywhere. There is no guaranteed security in this world. I'm not discounting the incompetence in this perticular case but I'm actually more interested in the aftermath. That revealed the real issues.

The way investigation was handled, content of public messaging etc all come to a very telling conclusion.
Click to expand...
 
BouncerGuy said:
rizwan is sidelined for good.. Babar is also near... But tell me what is the performance now??? babar has not opened for a long time now... salman played at 3 and has been a mess at that number.. Saim? Fakhar? Khushdil?

How many names you want me to take?
Click to expand...
Babar was part of the recent T20 World Cup. And so what if he didn’t open? He batted at No. 4 and his slow knock against England ended up costing Pakistan the match and ultimately led to their elimination from the tournament.
 
JattMaula said:
Terrorist attacks happen.
Click to expand...
not to convoys with presidential security.

They happen against unarmed tourists, public transit, new magazine office etc etc
JattMaula said:
They happen everywhere.
Click to expand...
there is another predominant theme there
JattMaula said:
There is no guaranteed security in this world.
Click to expand...
hand waving
JattMaula said:
I'm not discounting the incompetence in this perticular case
Click to expand...
you are.
JattMaula said:
but I'm actually more interested in the aftermath. That revealed the real issues.
Click to expand...
did they?
JattMaula said:
The way investigation was handled, content of public messaging etc all come to a very telling conclusion.
Click to expand...
which was what?

That Pak govt lied about providing presidential security?

Pak didn't have money for presidential security?

Pak govt allocated money for presidential security and stole it?

Pak govt decided SL lives are not worth the presidential security?

Pak
 
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