The ICC will review the future of the 2011 World Cup in Asia after Sri Lanka's cricket team was ambushed Tuesday in Pakistan in one of the most high profile attacks on a sports team since the 1972 Munich Olympics. Six police officers and two civilian were killed when a dozen men attacked the Sri Lankan team bus with rifles, grenades and rocket launchers as it traveled to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the third day of the second Test against Pakistan. Eight members of the Sri Lankan team and an official were injured. Batsman Thilan Samaraweera was the worst hit, suffering a thigh injury. Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Suranka Lakmal and Chaminda Vaas had minor injuries. A Pakistani umpire Ahsan Raza underwent surgery after being seriously wounded in the attack. Raza suffered wounds to his lungs but was recovering after an operation. Sri Lanka's cricket team flew into Colombo early Wednesday. The team was received at Bandaranaike International Airport by Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge, an airport official said. The team flew out of Pakistan on a specially chartered Airbus 320 late Tuesday. The plane arrived from Colombo at around 9:30 P.M. (1630 GMT) and left 40 minutes later. Pakistan Cricket Board officials, Pakistan captain Younis Khan, coach Intikhab Alam, Shoaib Malik and batsman Misbahul Haq saw the team off at the airport. “We note with dismay and regret the events of this morning in Lahore and we condemn this attack without reservation,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement. Lorgat was quoted as saying that plans for the 2011 World Cup - set to be co-hosted by Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - would be reviewed within 48 hours, but an ICC spokesman later said there was no timeframe for the review. Later in the evening Lorgat said the sport's ruling body would not make a “knee-jerk” response to the attack, but warned that it will be difficult to persuade cricketers to play in Pakistan. Lorgat said the ICC board would discuss the consequences for the World Cup - in theory co-hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - at a planned meeting in mid-April, in Dubai he said. “We need to guard against a knee-jerk reaction,” he told reporters. Jayawardene praised the bus driver for not panicking despite the vehicle being peppered with 25 bullet holes. Australia captain Ricky Ponting released a statement from South Africa saying he'd been in touch with the Sri Lankan team “to express our deepest condolences.” A host of former Pakistan Test cricketers pre-empted the ICC decision on Pakistan's status as a 2011 World Cup co-host. “I don't see the International Cricket Council now allowing the World Cup matches in Pakistan. It's gone,” retired paceman Waqar Younis said. “It's a big tragedy. Something like this should have never happened.” Javed Miandad, former Pakistan captain and coach, said: “It is going to be very difficult for us to now convince teams that they can play the World Cup in Pakistan safely.” Retired fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz said the future of cricket in Pakistan was now bleak. “No team will even think to come to play in Pakistan after this attack and injuries to their cricketers,” he said. “I am also fearing that other countries will be reluctant to even invite Pakistan for home series in fear that may open door for such terrorism to come to their country.” Shashank Manohar, President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, said Pakistan is unlikely to host teams for many years.
