The Lahore Attack - Kumar Sangakkara

 
The Lahore Attack

Kumar Sangakkara


Kumar chokshanada Sangakkara was born on 27th October 1977.  He is a sri Lankan Cricketer, former captain of sri Lankan national cricket team.  He is one of the greatest batsman in the history of sports.  Sangakkara won the ICC cricketer of the year in 2012.  In 2019 he was appointed as the president of the MCC the first non – British person to the position.

He was born in Matale, central province near Kandy in 1977.  Sangakkara received his education at Trinity College Kandy.  He was a senior prefect of the school.  He entered Law Faculty of the University of Colombo but could not complete his degree due to his cricketing commitments.  He was appointed as the Ambassador of Anti – narcotics program in Sri Lanka.

Sangakkara is married To Yehali and has two twin children.  He is involved in many charity work in Sri Lanka.  He is a member of the Think Wise Initiative launched by International Cricket Council, joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS and UNICEF.  In November 2020 Sangakkara was nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC male Cricketer of the Decade and the award of ODI Cricketer of the Decade.

Summary 


The 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka National cricket team occurred on 3rd march 2009, when a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers was fired by 12 gunmen near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore Pakistan. Six members of the Sri Lanka National cricket team were wounded and six Pakistani policemen and two civilians were killed.

Analysis

“I think everyone deals with it in their own personal way,”Sangakkara said. “But at the same time, what really unites us is that you face adversity and you face challenge, and you have to get past it and you have got to do that successfully. It’s about moving forward and upwards and being part of cricket. Being Sri Lankan you learn those lessons quite well, because through our civil war, cricket was a unique vibe” –by Sangakkara.

The Lahore attacks is an extract from Kumar Sangakkara’s Colin Cowdrey lecture delivered on 5th of July 2011 at Lords. Being a fluent speaker of English, Sangakkara’s speech was a very decent, packed with emotional expression. It is an honest and genuine expression of Kumar. Also the speech brings out the qualities of Sangakkara as a great Sri Lankan to the world.


Sangakkara’s speech shows his love for his mother land. As a captain he is mentally strong to lead his team mates to success. He is able to manage his team members after the terrorist attack. He tried his best to give medical assistance and proper consolation.

“We all realized that what some of our fellow Sri Lankans experienced every day for nearly 30 years. There was a new respect and awe for their courage and selflessness.

He spoke about the ambitions of Sri Lankans. He with proud brings out his conversations he had with a Sri Lankan soldier after his return from Pakistan. The soldier said” it is ok. If I die because it is my job and I am ready for it”

This shows the dignity of the soldier. Even the soldier appreciated Sangakkara for his quick action during the attack. One can understand the respect he had for the young cricketer. This is the passion that cricket and cricketers had on Sri Lankans. “This is the love that I strive every day of my career to be worthy of “


It was a great speech that evoke passion, emotion and the spirit of the game. Kumar Sangakkara’s speech captures the headlines because of the remarks of the Sri Lankan cricket board. He received stand ovation for his speech. It was about the “spirit of cricket.”   The listener should not be a Sri Lankan to admire and relate his speech. “Spirit of the Game” does not means sportsmanship on the field, a batsman walking when he is out, but the true “spirit of cricket” means outside of the field. It is the hearts of the fans, Sangakkara’s speech pointed out this bondage and the true spirit of Cricket.

The best of his speech is the way he brings out bondage between the player and the fans. The true spirit is to hear about it from a player. Sangakkara describes how the players become the sons of their soil after the controversy of Muttiah Muralitharan in Australia in 1995-96. The entire country stood in courage behind the team and they called them with love as “Our boys”

Sri Lanka is a small Island in the Indian Ocean with different religions and cultures. All the 15 players from different backgrounds stood behind as one family to fight for a worthy cause. Sangakkara remembers the worst hit Tsunami and after the Lahore terror attack. After Tsunami many young cricketers joined the relief camps and went around. They made their honest dedication to the affected people.


Sangakkara described the Lahore terror attack which was a night mare for all Sri Lankans. He then goes on to say about a Sri Lankan Army soldier who enquired about his health. During the conversation with the soldier Sangakkara appreciates the services of the soldiers to the Nation. The soldier says” it is ok if I die it is my job and I am ready for it.” But you are a hero and if you were to die it would be a great loss for our country”. Sangakkara was speechless and said, “How can this man value his life less than mine?”

Then the speech states about the board politics, corruption and the wants of reconstructing the Sri Lanka cricket. Apart from these controversial remarks his speech was an excellent tribute to the Spirit of cricket. He ends by saying, “with me are all my people. I am a Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim and Burger. I am a Buddhist, a Hindu, a follower of Islam and Christianity I am today and always, proudly “Sri Lankan” 

It is really a great speech indeed which deserves a standing applause. It is a great masterpiece.  



 



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Comments

  1. humanity of Sri Lankan cricketer, nicely reveal by you

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