Cricket goes byee-byee in Pakistan...

In a surprising development, today the bus of the visiting Sri lankan cricket team was shot at by militants using RPGs, automatic weapons and hand grenade. The Sri Lankan team was swiftly evacuated using militiary helicopters. It is reported that the governemnt had prior information of this attack from a report which was apparently handed to them as early as 22 January 2009 accusing agents of RAW, the intellgience agency attacking the Sri Lankan team at this very place and time.

The Government of the Punjab was apparently too busy changing the IG, six SPs and several other high police officials in Punjab as well as changing chief ministers and what not. With the imposition of Governor Rule in Punjab, all executive authority rests with Governor Salman Taseer and he is in charge of the government. As usual, "President" Asif A. Zardari has 'regretted" the incident.
News stories related to the incident can be found at Dawn[http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/Dawn%20Content%20Library/dawn/news/pakistan/punjab/sri-lankan-cricket-team-convoy-attacked-eight-players-injured-ha] and Yahoo [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090303/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan_cricketers_attacked]

The attack has been described by a senior journalist as "remarkably well planned" and it is said to bear a lot of similarity to the mumbai attacks.

With an attack like this the standard of sports is likely to fall even more in Pakistan, not that it was that high anyway. Foreign teams' visits to Pakistan will likely lessen (not that they were that high anyway) and sports activity in pakistan would probably slow to a halt. I remember that as early as 2007, when I was participating in the 1st South Asian Swimming Championship, at least two teams-including Bangladesh-refused to attend. I don't think that Pakistan's sports teams will be able to go for foeign tours. DAMN!!!! And i wanted to be at Dhaka at the 2010
SAF Games representing Pakistan.

God, what a clusterf**k!!!!Get your act together people!!!

P.S:Shahid Afridi just said that cricket would become more "difficult" in Pakistan.

The ICC has also cancelled the Pakistani part of the World Cup unless there is a "dramatic change". Gee, that seems unlikely.

Younis Khan has also stomped out of a press conference in anger and disgust. Dunno why yet.

Following are pictures of the attack: