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| Attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Lahore | |
|---|---|
| Title | Attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Lahore |
| Date | 3 March 2009 |
| Location | Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Target | Sri Lanka national cricket team |
| Type | Armed assault, terrorism |
| Fatalities | 8 (6 policemen, 2 civilians) |
| Injuries | 6 Sri Lankan players, 1 official, several others |
| Perpetrators | Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (alleged), Punjabi Taliban (claims disputed) |
| Weapons | Small arms, grenades, explosives, rocket-propelled grenades |
Attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Lahore
On 3 March 2009, the touring Sri Lanka national cricket team was ambushed near the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore following an One Day International arrival; the assault wounded players and officials, killed security personnel and civilians, and precipitated a decade-long international isolation of Pakistan's international cricket. The incident involved coordinated gunmen using small arms, grenades and rocket-propelled grenades, prompting responses from International Cricket Council, Asian Cricket Council, and multiple national governments.
In early 2009, the Sri Lanka tour followed fixtures arranged by the Pakistan Cricket Board after prior bilateral series involving England, India (relations limited), and Australia. The tour took place amid heightened security concerns after attacks in Islamabad, Peshawar, and near diplomatic missions during the War in North-West Pakistan (2004–present). The match schedule at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore District attracted officials from the International Cricket Council and media from ESPNcricinfo, Dawn, and The Guardian, amplifying scrutiny over Pakistan Cricket Board arrangements and protection by the Punjab Police and Pakistan Army.
After arrival at Walton Airport and transit to Gaddafi Stadium, the team bus was struck by automatic gunfire and grenades on a motorway stretch near the stadium. Assailants used ambush tactics associated with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and other sectarian groups during the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). Initial reports cited rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices; eyewitness accounts from team members and officials were recorded by Sri Lanka Cricket and international broadcasters including BBC News and Al Jazeera. The President Asif Ali Zardari and Yousaf Raza Gillani issued condemnations; the Interior Ministry and Inter-Services Intelligence deployed response units.
Killed in the attack were multiple Punjab Police officers and civilian bystanders, with official tallies identifying six policemen among the dead and two civilians. Wounded included prominent Sri Lankan players such as Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara (both injured), along with officials and local support staff; medical evacuations occurred to Services Hospital, Lahore and other facilities. International reports named injured Sri Lankan coach Tom Moody (misreported in some outlets) and listed varying casualty counts in dispatches from Reuters, Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse.
Security forces, including Punjab Rangers and Pakistan Army units, established perimeters and engaged attackers; emergency medical teams from Lahore General Hospital and paramedics treated the wounded. Sri Lankan officials and team management coordinated with the Sri Lanka High Commission in Islamabad and diplomatic staff from the Embassy of Sri Lanka for evacuation plans; the team was flown to Colombo shortly thereafter on military and civilian aircraft. International cricket authorities, such as the International Cricket Council and the Asian Cricket Council, suspended tours and convened crisis meetings with representatives from England and Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Australia, Board of Control for Cricket in India, and West Indies Cricket Board.
Pakistani investigators, assisted by intelligence agencies, attributed the assault to sectarian militants with links to Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and possible coordination with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan elements; claims and denials emerged from multiple groups. Arrests and raids by the Counter Terrorism Department (Punjab) led to prosecutions of suspected facilitators and alleged gunmen. International forensic assistance and media outlets cited patterns consistent with earlier attacks in Karachi and Quetta, while human rights organizations and analysts compared tactics to attacks attributed to Al-Qaeda-aligned networks.
The attack effectively ended major international tours to Pakistan for years, prompting relocation of events to neutral venues such as United Arab Emirates and Sharjah. Pakistan national cricket team hosted "home" series in Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Sharjah Cricket Stadium; the Cricket World Cup and ICC World Twenty20 logistics were reevaluated. Security protocols for touring teams were overhauled by the International Cricket Council and national boards, involving private security firms, armed escorts, armored convoys, and coordination with intelligence agencies. The incident influenced policies of England and Wales Cricket Board, Board of Control for Cricket in India, and Cricket Australia on touring risk assessments, and affected bilateral relations with cricketing nations including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Trials and legal actions took place in Pakistani courts, with defendants charged under anti-terrorism statutes and tried in Anti-Terrorism Courts. Convictions, acquittals, and procedural controversies were reported in Pakistani media and scrutinized by international observers. Some suspects were sentenced to death or long imprisonment, while extradition and cross-border legal cooperation issues involved authorities in Afghanistan and Iran according to investigative reports. The event remains a reference point in discussions in International Criminal Law-adjacent forums and security reviews by cricketing institutions.
Category:2009 in Pakistan Category:History of cricket Category:Terrorist incidents in Pakistan