Younis says Pakistan team lucky to escape attack

LAHORE (Reuters) - Pakistan captain Younis Khan said his team were lucky to escape the attack on Sri Lanka's team bus Tuesday.

"Thank God we decided to leave our hotel five minutes after the Sri Lankans," Younis told a news conference.

"We are a young team and God forbid if both buses had been moving together it could have been catastrophic."

Gunmen attacked Sri Lanka's bus with rifles, grenades and rockets, wounding six players and a British coach, while it was being driven to Lahore's Gaddafi stadium for the third day of the second test against Pakistan.

Five policemen and a bus driver were killed in the attack and the test match has now been cancelled.

"This incident was very draining emotionally and we have been trying to keep our players calm," added Younis. "We should all be thankful no one from the Sri Lankan team was killed."

Younis said he had apologised to the Sri Lankan players on behalf of the Pakistani people.

"I was surprised by their reaction," he said. "They took the incident in their stride and said they had no complaints with our people."

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