Returning to cricket is sign of normalcy: Sangakkara
The Lahore terror
attack might have left an indelible scar on their
mind but Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara says
they have left the incident behind and are looking
forward to the challenges in World Twenty20
Championship which starts on June 5.
“Returning to cricket is the sign of normalcy for
us, getting back to our normal lives. We remember
the Lahore attack. There is a lot of emotion tied
up with it, but we’ve got to
move on. Life moves
on, cricket goes on. The guys have realised that
and they are prepared mentally now,” Sangakkara
said.
The World Twenty is going to be the first major
tournament for the Sri Lankan team after surviving
the March 3 Lahore terror attack, which left six
Lankan cricketers injured.
“The guys have moved on very well from Lahore. It
is great to be back playing cricket and hope we
can make a challenge in the World Twenty20. The
side is really looking forward to doing well,”
Sangakkara told a cricket website.
Sangakkara was among the cricketers
who escaped the attack with some minor injuries,
although six securitymen and two civilians were
killed in the incident.
“Getting back together, going on a bus, you know,
sometimes you look around and you feel how
vulnerable you are in the bus, if anyone wants to
do any harm. At the same time, it is great to get
back on it as a team and play your first major
tournament after Lahore. “That feeling of
togetherness,
being through tough situations, and playing the game
we love brings us a lot closer together,” he said.
Sangakkara also feels that his young all-rounders
Farveez Maharoof and Angelo Mathews have to make
themselves counted if Sri Lanka have to win the title
this time. “Angelo Mathews and Farveez Maharoof will
have to take the responsibility of making that
difference. We have lot more strengths than
weaknesses,” he said.
