Suranga Lakmal still carries splinter from bullet wound sustained in 2009 Lahore attack

Courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: It's happened way back in 2009, but the scares continue to haunt Sri Lankan cricketers still today. On that fateful day in March, a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers was fired upon by 12 gunmen near the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The cricketers were on their way for the third day's play of the second Test against Pakistan. After the attack, the team was airlifted with six members of the visiting team injured.

One of the unfortunate players was Suranga Lakmal, then in his early 20's with a lot of promises. The all-rounder still hasn’t been able to remove one of the splinters from the bullets.

“Why I have not operated is that I am told after the operation, it takes a long time to recover. I will miss out on quite a bit of cricket. The other problem is that I can’t get an MRI scan done. If I do an MRI on my left leg, it comes blank,” Lakmal told Cricbuzz.

Uncertainty prevailed for the 30-year-old as he continues to struggle to make his Lankan squad a permanent one.

“I am not too sure whether I will ever remove it. Once I am done with cricket, I will consult the surgeons and see. If they feel that it is not harmful to my body, I will let it be,” added Lakmal.

Sri Lanka are currently in the United Arab Emirates, which has become Pakistan cricket's adopted home, for a series comprising of a two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is. And it's reported that the last T20I will be played at Gadaffi Stadium, where the attack happened.

But Lakmal has no issues returning to Lahore.

“We have to decide as a team, and whatever the decision the team takes, I will abide by it. I have never worked on my whims and fancies. I am a team man. If I get selected and if the team is willing to go, then I will be on that flight,” Lakmal said.