(4 Mar 2009) SHOTLIST
++NIGHT SHOT++
1. Wide exterior of Bandaranaike International Airport
++INTERIOR SHOTS++
2. Media gathered inside airport terminal
3. Sri Lanka cricket team captain, Mahela Jayawardene walking into terminal
4. Players Thilan Thushura holding child and Kumar Sangakkara inside terminal
5. Player Ajantha Mendia with bandage on his head
++NIGHT SHOTS++
6. Wide of ambulance outside airport terminal
7. Various of player, Thilan Samaraweera in ambulance with relatives next to him
++INTERIOR SHOTS++
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka Cricket Team Captain:
"I mean I'm just very happy that I could see the family and come back to Sri Lanka in one piece and that every breath I take I am pretty glad that I can take it without a problem. I mean you just think about life and everything is in front of you, in a moment just flashing across when you go through an incident like this. None of us, if you speak to any of us the whole (team) members, honestly would have said to you that they never thought that they would come alive out of that situation. And we are very lucky that no one came across any serious injuries, life threatening, and that everyone is in good shape. There are a few guys who need a bit more time to recover and that we can hopefully put this behind us and move forward."
(FIRST RUN 0530 NEWS UPDATE - 04 March 2009)
++NIGHT SHOT++
9. TM Dilshan carrying baby, with wife following behind
10. Team members arriving
++INTERIOR SHOT++
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lankan batsman:
"It was a terrible incident. We were going to the ground and we were ambushed on the way, and we were very lucky to get away safe and sound."
++NIGHT SHOT++
12. Mid of team members arriving
++INTERIOR SHOTS++
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lankan batsman:
"They are all a bit shocked by very happy to be back home. I think they will spend the next few weeks coming to terms with what happened. I think the best thing we can do is go on and play cricket."
14. Sangakkara embracing his wife
15. Sangakkara walking with his wife
++NIGHT SHOT++
16. Player standing with family members
++INTERIOR SHOT++
17. Jayawardene embracing wife
STORYLINE:
Sri Lanka's national cricket team arrived home in the capital Colombo before dawn on Wednesday, clearly shaken and weary after their team bus was ambushed by heavily armed gunmen in Pakistan a day earlier in an attack that killed six policemen and a driver.
Their arrival came just as Pakistan announced it was offering a 126-thousand US dollar reward for help in identifying the gunmen who attacked the team.
About a dozen attackers armed with guns, grenades and rocket launchers attacked the visiting players as they neared Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday, triggering a 15-minute gun battle with security forces.
Six police officers and a driver were killed. Seven players, an umpire and an assistant coach were wounded, but none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Team captain Mahela Jayawardene said at one stage the team did not think they would survive the attack.
Jayawardene said he was happy to be home and glad he and his team-mates had survived the traumatic experience.
Authorities cancelled the test match against Pakistan and a special flight carried the Sri Lanka team - including Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana who had been hospitalised with bullet wounds - back to Colombo.
On arrival, the exhausted-looking players had an emotional private reunion with their families.
One of the players was taken from the airport to a hospital in Colombo.
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