Did cop delay Pakistan team bus on purpose?

Updated on: 05 March,2009 11:05 AM IST |
A correspondent |

Pakistani cricketers say the cop, who is now missing, stopped them from leaving on time, ensuring they escaped Tuesday's terror attack

Pakistani cricketers say the cop, who is now missing, stopped them from leaving on time, ensuring they escaped Tuesday's terror attack

Pakistani cricketers have spoken about a policeman who delayed the departure of their team bus from the hotel to the stadium on Tuesday, thereby ensuring they were not attacked by the terrorists near the Gaddafi stadium.

Pakistan captain Younis Khan has said his players were fortunate they didn't come under attack because they left the hotel five minutes after the Lankans, but apparently the delay was premeditated.

Some players in the team have confirmed that a policeman on duty at the team hotel has been missing since the attack on the Lankan cricket team, in which six players and an official were wounded.

"We were supposed to leave the hotel for the stadium around 8.35 am, five minutes after the Sri Lankans left, but this policeman kept on delaying our departure for another few crucial minutes," a player said.

He said the team's liaison officer had to finally ask the policeman to allow the team bus to proceed to the stadium, as they were getting late for preparations for the day's play.