One of the survivors of 2009 attack in Pakistan, Simon Taufel wants international cricket to return there

It’s over a decade since cricket saw one of its most sordid moments. The national cricket team of Sri Lanka faced a near-fatal terror attack in Lahore while touring Pakistan and their safe evacuation saw the country losing its rights as a host for a long time. Very few teams agreed to travel to Pakistan since the attack that took place in Lahore in March 2009 and it is only Sri Lanka who have undertaken a full-fledged tour of the country, albeit non-continuously.

The islanders recently went there to play an ODI and T20I series and after they went off smoothly did the host country convinced the Lankans to play a two-Test series on its soil. The series, which was scheduled to be played in the UAE originally, will now be played in Rawalpindi and Karachi between December 11 and 23.

Ten years ago, along with the Lankan team, former ICC umpire Simon Taufel also found his life under threat in Lahore. He was officiating the match along with his compatriot Steve Davis and ahead of Test cricket’s return to Pakistan, he has hoped that international cricket makes a successful return to that country.

The 48-year-old Australian — one of the best umpires the game has seen — recently recalled the memory of his ordeal in Pakistan in 2009. He was on one of the buses that came under the terror attack but escaped unhurt.

Simon Taufel concedes it was a traumatic experience but still is optimistic

“Never say never. Things change. There is no country in the world that is immune to bad things happening,” Simon Taufel said as quoted by Geo.tv.

“I do hope that cricket spreads to more parts of the world and even though it was a traumatic experience in Pakistan, I sincerely hope that we see international cricket played there again.”

Pakistan won the ODI series played in September-October 2-0 but were stunned by a depleted Sri Lankan side in the T20Is who won the three-match series 3-0. A number of Lankan players had pulled out of the tour citing security concerns before the Pakistan Cricket Board convinced its Lankan counterpart to send its team.

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