Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara will find himself back in Pakistan. One of the finest left-handed batsmen ever to grace the game, Sangakkara, is set to lead Marylebone Cricket Committee [MCC] for a series of three twenty20 fixtures scheduled to be played against Lahore Qalandars at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Notably, this will be the first time that Sangakkara will visit Gadaffi stadium since the terrorist attacks on Sri Lankan cricketers way back in 2009. In March 2009, the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) fired at the bus carrying the Sri Lankan team members. Eight people were killed and as many as seven cricketers from the island nation injured.

Post the attacks on Sri Lankan cricketers, no International cricket team visited Pakistan for a cricketing fixture, citing security reasons.  However, recently teams like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh did visit Pakistan and played Test Cricket. The Sangakkara-led MCC’s tour to Pakistan is yet another attempt to restore cricket back in Pakistan.

Talking about the same incident, Sangakarra said that he clearly remembers the day the attack took place.

“I don’t think I need any flashbacks, because I remember that day and those moments so very clearly. It’s not something I relive or wallow in. But it’s an experience you should never forget, because it gives you perspective in terms of life and sport, and you learn a lot about your own values and characters, and those of others,” Sangakkara was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

“I have no reservations about talking about it, it’s not something that upsets me, but these sorts of experiences can only strengthen you. Today I consider myself very fortunate to be able to come back here to Lahore, and at the same time remember the sacrifice of all those who lost their lives that day,” he added.

“We speak about the attack at various times. We even have a laugh about it, in terms of what we went through because it helps sometimes to look at it with a bit of humour, even though there was a tragic loss of life and other serious injuries within that incident,” he concluded.