<p>2009 Lahore attack on Sri Lankan
cricket team
2009 Lahore attack on Sri Lankan cricket team
Gaddafi Stadium, destination of attacked convoy
Location
Lahore, Pakistan
Coordinates
313048.36N 74200.28E /
31.5134333N 74.3334111E /
31.5134333; 74.3334111Coordinates:
313048.36N 74200.28E /
31.5134333N 74.3334111E /
31.5134333; 74.3334111
Date
March 3, 2009 (2009-03-03)
08:40am Lahore Time[1] (UTC+5)
Attack type
Ambush
Weapon(s)
AK-74s, 6-7 RPG and 22-70 Hand
Grenade
Deaths
6 Pakistani police officers
2 civilians
Injured
6 Sri Lankan cricketers and 2 staff + 1
reserve umpire
Suspected
perpetrator
several[2][3][4][5]
Number of
participant(s)
14-15[6][7]
Defender(s)
Punjab Police/Elite Police[8]
The Sri Lankan cricket team attack oc-
curred on March 3, 2009, when a bus carry-
ing Sri Lankan cricketers, part of a larger
convoy, was fired upon by 12 gunmen, near
the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan.[1]
The cricketers were on their way to play the
third day of the second Test against the
Pakistani cricket team. Six members of the
Sri Lankan cricket team were injured. Six
Pakistani policemen and two civilians were
killed.[9] These were the first attacks on a na-
tional
sports
team since
the Munich
massacre of Israeli athletes by Islamic milit-
ants in 1972.[10][11]
Background of the tour
The safety of
touring cricket
teams in
Pakistan had long been in issue. In May
2002, New Zealand abandoned their Test
series in Pakistan after a suicide bomb attack
outside their hotel: they have not returned to
the country since.[12] Australia had recently
refused to tour on safety grounds.[13] The Sri
Lankan cricket team was in Pakistan as a re-
placement for the Indian team, who had
pulled out after the Mumbai attacks.[14] In
order to persuade the Sri Lankan team to vis-
it,
the Pakistan government offered to
arrange "presidential-style security."[15] In
2004 Lashkar-e-Taiba had issued a fatwa
against playing Cricket calling it against
Islam.[16]
The series was the first Test tour of
Pakistan since South Africa visited in October
200