Lahore attack anniversary: 'Cricket’s 9/11' still haunts Broad

ICC match referee Chris Broad.

A year has passed since he survived the Lahore terror attacks on Sri Lankan players but match referee Chris Broad on Wednesday said “cricket’s 9/11” would remain with him till he dies.

“The third of the third ‘09 will be with me until I die. It was an unhappy day, not only for me but for the rest of the playing control team over there and the Sri Lankan team. It will be cricket’s 9/11,” Mr. Broad said.

The 52-year-old former cricketer was heading to the Gaddafi stadium along with the Sri Lankan team when terrorists ambushed their convoy.

The driver of Broad’s vehicle died in the attack while several Sri Lankan players were injured. The Englishman says time has healed a lot of his wounds but memories refuse to fade away.

“Time is a great healer, I don’t think about it too often these days but the memories are always going to be with me.

The memories are still extremely vivid and they are memories I wish I had never had,” he told ‘

Cricinfo ’

Mr. Broad hoped that the security lapses that led to the attack would not be repeated.

“I was in India in October-November and they had certainly changed their attitudes regarding security not only for players but for officials also. The concern is that we don’t want those attitudes to relax as that is the time when the terrorists would strike,” he said.

“Hopefully the boards will continue to improve what we have in place now and ensure that all people involved in international cricket are safe and secure. I say that only because I don’t want the terrorists to beat us,” Mr. Broad said.

Asked if he would ever travel to Pakistan again, Mr. Broad said he wasn’t sure but hoped that the situation improved in the trouble-torn country and international cricket returns there.

“It’s going to be difficult to overcome because terrorism in the world seems to have a foothold. But we have to support the Pakistan people and cricketers as much as we can, though unfortunately, at this moment in time, it’s difficult to take (international) cricket back to that country. It’s something that is very sad but very true,” he said.

“The main issue is they have got to sort out these bombings and terror attacks within their own country. I know it is not the Pakistan Cricket Board’s responsibility but it is something that needs to be done and the wider community has to help as much as it can. Otherwise it would be extremely sad to see cricket die in that country,” he added.