Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has opened up on the lasting impact of the 2009 Lahore terror attack, describing how the incident reshaped his perspective on life, privilege, and heroism.
Speaking in a recent interview, Sangakkara recalled the chilling moments leading up to the attack on March 3, 2009, when the Sri Lankan team bus was ambushed en route to the Gaddafi Stadium.
“We are in the hotel, third day, going to the ground and 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.
“Not even like a minute later we get attacked.”
The assault, carried out by heavily armed gunmen, left several Sri Lankan players and staff injured, while six policemen and a driver escorting the team were killed. Sangakkara himself revealed he suffered injuries during the incident.
Reflecting on the aftermath, the former wicketkeeper-batsman emphasized how the experience changed his outlook.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Weeks later, an interaction back home in Colombo further reinforced that perspective.
“You guys are our heroes!” a police officer told him after asking about his well-being.
Sangakkara, however, pushed back on that sentiment, highlighting the everyday realities faced by armed forces.
The experience, he explained, made him realize the contrast between his life as an international cricketer and the sacrifices made by others.
