Sri Lankans willing to send team to Pakistan again

Undeterred by the Lahore attack on its national cricket squad, the Sri Lankan government is willing to send the team to Pakistan again to play matches soon.

Speaking at a joint stakeout with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said: ‘Any invitation if extended for Sri Lankan team to visit Pakistan in near future would receive our highest consideration.â€

It is believed that the encouraging statement of the Sri Lankan Forigen Minister will restore the shaken trust of cricket playing nations on Pakistan the future of cricket in the country is not bleak.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister did not mention the exact time frame of when the Sri Lankan team will pay a visit to Pakistan.

The visiting cricket team had ended the 14-month international cricket drought in Pakistan after the Indian teamâ€s refusal to visit Pakistan due to security concerns. Bogollagama said Sri Lanka would not like Pakistan to be isolated in the cricketing world.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister said: ‘We will play our role to further strengthen our ties in the cricketing world.â€

Pakistan, also the co-host of the cricket World Cup 2011, is under immense pressure from some cricket playing nations over security concerns while the recent terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricketers raised their concerns.Six police commandos were killed and at least two players were injured when gunmen attacked vehicles carrying the Sri Lankan players in Lahore on Tuesday.

‘I hope Pakistan will rise up to expectations in terms of security a country has to maintain. It would be pity if we get cowed down after this attack†said the Minister.

He said Sri Lanka resiliently fought terrorism on its soil turning every terrorist strike into opportunity to defeat the menace and it would be unlike of a nation like Sri Lanka to be intimidated by such a cowardly attack.

Hmmm, I wonder if the players were asked first.

Bet the players will be falling over themselves to tour Pakistan again.

Don't think Chris Broad will be going again soon though . . .

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article5858263.ece

Pakistan wouldn't let him back into the country anyway. Haven't you heard, he was to blame for the attacks.

I think I just crapped me pants.

"Everything was very calm and very quiet, and every now and then someone would say, 'I'm hit,' and then someone else said, 'So am I,' and someone else said, 'I'm hit as well,'" he said.

Jayawardene felt his foot go numb. A bullet had grazed his ankle.

Tharanga Paranavithana, who suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, mumbled something. Sangakkara turned to listen when a bullet zipped past his head and slammed into a seat. Then, shrapnel tore through his shoulder.

Lying next to him, Thilan Samaraweera was shot in the leg and crawled down the aisle to hide his head behind a metal casing for protection, Sangakkara said.

Does this sound like a team champing at the bit to go back?

"Everything was very calm and very quiet, and every now and then someone would say, 'I'm hit,' and then someone else said, 'So am I,' and someone else said, 'I'm hit as well,'" he said.

I know it's wrong, but I can see that as a Monty Python sketch.

"I'm hit. And so's my wife."

The description I quoted read like something out of Heller's Catch 22 to me.

Ban Dello.

Ban furri.

furriner wrote:The description I quoted read like something out of Heller's Catch 22 to me.

Good call. Only insanity will stop them returning.