The Sri Lankan national cricket team returned to the capital Colombo Wednesday morning after several cricketers were injured in a shootout in the Pakistani city of Lahore on Tuesday, airport officials said.
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Thilan Thushara, a member of the Sri Lankan cricket team, holds his son as he arrives at Colombo airport in Sri Lanka, after the attack against his team yesterday morning in Pakistan March 4, 2009. [Xinhuanet.com]
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The cricket team arrived at the airport at about 3:50 a.m. (2220 GMT) by a special Sri Lankan Airlines flight, said the officials.
Six cricketers and a member of the coaching staff were injured when terrorists fired at the team bus in Lahore, Pakistan early Tuesday morning.
The Sri Lankan team was being driven to the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore for the third day of its Test match with the Pakistani national team when the incident happened.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse decided to send a special flight to Pakistan to bring the national cricket team back home after the incident.
The Sri Lankan national cricket team is a major cricket team in the world. The team won the 1996 Cricket World Cup by beating Australia in the finals.
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Mahela Jayawardene, the captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team (L) walks with his wife, Christina Sirisena, out of the Colombo airport terminal as he arrives back with his team, after the attack against them yesterday morning in Pakistan March 4, 2009.[Xinhuanet.com]
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