The Lahore Attack

‘The Lahore Attack’ comes under the prose passage is an extract from Kumar Sangakkara’s Colin Cowdrey Lecture delivered on 5th of July 2011 at lords. As a Sri Lankan cricketer he had the right to deliver his lecture at this event touching on history, culture and opportunities for Sri Lanka as well as a moving recounting of the terrorist attack on their team, in a bus in Lahore-Pakistan. Being multilingual and a fluent speaker of English, Sanga’s speech was a very eloquent speech packed with emotionally charged expressions. He has delivered his ideas about his role as a cricketer, his patriotism towards his native land, his relationship with his team members and others. It is a unique and genuine expression of Kumar about the responsibility as a leader, a leader in the cricket. Moreover, it brings out the qualities of Sangakkara as a great Sri Lankan and a great humanist to the world.

Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara, a world class cricketer, best known as Kumar Sangakkara was a Sri Lanka’s leading cricketer. He was born on 27th October 1977 in Matale, Kandy. He is a left-hand batsman, not only as a top order batsman, he used to play as the wicketkeeper too. He is the most important player of the team that won the 2014 World T20 as well as the team that made the finals of 2007 World Cup and 2012 World T20. He captained the national team from 2008 to 2011 stepping down after 2011 World Cup finals.

Kumar Sangakkara received an invitation to deliver the MCC Cowdrey Memorial Lecture in 2011 at Lords. He did not pick one of the many topics being debated today, such as the role of cricket or the future of the cricket. While others in general strive to preserve their respect of their homeland in front of an international audience at such place, Sanga not only shows himself but also the unduly critical of the cricket in Sri Lanka.

“This the passion that cricket and cricketer evoke in Sri Lanka. This is the love that I strive every day of my career to be worthy of.”

Sangakkara’s aim is not to win personal sympathy from his audience at the expense of his homeland, the nation he represents and the members of his team. His speech clearly shows the passion for Sri Lanka and the love and respect for its people. As a captain, his mentality is really strong.

“We will get through hardships and we will overcome because our spirit is strong”

Moreover, he said that he never experienced a bomb explosion. Though he never experienced a bomb explosion, he is capable of managing his team members after the terrorist attack. He tried to fetch out his friends by giving proper consolation such as make jokes to retrieve their mind to the normal state. It is an evident for his good leadership quality. Also he conveys his response to the experience of horror in the following terms.

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

Further, in his speech he spoke of a shared passion, collective joy and ambitions of Sri Lankans. He brings in a conversation that he had with a soldier at a checkpoint in Colombo, just a week after his return from Pakistan. The soldier inquired his health and said

“It is ok if I die because it is my job and I am ready for it”

It vividly shows the soldier’s dignity in his speech. And also the soldier said Sangakkara as a hero. It shows that how cricketers are respected in Sri Lanka.

On the whole Sangakkara’s speech shows how he faced the situation and the emotional impact of the event on the cricketer. Also, it emphasizes the relationship between the cricketers and public in Sri Lanka as well as the Kumar’s patriotic love for Sri Lankan people.