Presidential-level security for Sri Lankan Cricket Team

Sri Lankan cricketers are on a two-week tour of Pakistan. The Lankan team bus was attacked by gunmen in Lahore in 2009. Most international teams do not play in Pakistan for security reasons

Pakistan police commandos escort Pakistan and Sri Lankan cricket teams at the National stadium to play the first match of the series in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019. It is the first time since Sri Lanka’s team bus was attacked in Lahore in 2009 that a foreign team will conduct a two-week tour of Pakistan with Karachi hosting all three ODIs. Major teams have avoided Pakistan since that ambush, which killed eight people and injured several players. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

Pakistan army soldiers guard the National stadium as Sri Lankan cricket teams arrive in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019. It is the first time since Sri Lanka’s team bus was attacked in Lahore in 2009 that a foreign team will conduct a two-week tour of Pakistan with Karachi hosting all three ODIs. Major teams have avoided Pakistan since that ambush, which killed eight people and injured several players. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

Locals in Karachi were flabbergasted at the security cover provided to the Sri Lankan team bus en route to the National Stadium in Karachi, the venue of the day-night contest on Monday. Led by pilots on “dhoom macha de” motorbikes, the team buses were protected by at least 30 different kinds of heavily armed security vehicles.

At the tail-end of the convoy was an ambulance. Videos taken by locals revealed some hilarious comments, underlying the state of affairs in one of Pakistan’s most prosperous cities.

“Only a tank is missing in the line-up,” joked a bystander.

“There’s even an ambulance … in case if there is an attack right here! This is how cricket is played in Karachi.”

Source – Outlook India