Bipin Dani
Meher Khalil, who earned fame and success after saving Sri Lanka’s cricket team from a deadly 2009 attack in Pakistan, may meet the “new faces” of the visiting team soon.
Speaking exclusively over telephone from Pakistan, he said, “I am aware about the tight security and it is not easy to meet the visiting team but I have put a word to the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) official and will try to meet the players at the hotel or at the Gadaffi Stadium where the first T-20I willbe played on Saturday”.
Khalil was driving the team’s bus carrying players when it was attacked by rocket launcher and machine gun-wielding extremists in an assault that left eight people dead and seven players injured. The attack brought an end to international cricket in Pakistan.
“It is my wish to meet the players and tell them that they are safe in this country. I also thank them for coming over to play some cricket in this country”.
Khalil was feted after he held his nerve to drive the team to safety, and with reward money from Sri Lanka’s government. He and his wife were made the special guests by the Sri Lankan government.
Meher Khalil continues to work as a bus driver and rides on Islamabad-Lahore route.